A Silver Lining: The Dark Streak
by Chickie.Babe1
Summary: Captain Blake Villemaire is a feared and admired Pirate who's lived a lot longer than any other. She has more secrets than any pirate to sail the Caribbean. Currently aboard the Black Pearl with Captain Jack Sparrow, Blake's past is coming back around to haunt her and expose her biggest kept secret, as Jack Sparrow is being targeted by the infamous Lord of the Seas, Davy Jones.
1. Chapter 1

**I know! It has been a long time coming! But I have finally finished the second instalment to my Silver Lining series. **

**I'm sorry it took so long, I got stuck at the end of chapter 18. I'm also not sure about Chapters 19-23, I feel like they're missing something, so feel free to let me know what you think as well. **

**I hope you enjoy this book. **

**And just as a heads up, Book 3, will not be up for a while, I have a lot to do in the coming months and might not get much time to start it, let alone complete it. I promise I will do a third, fourth and fifth book however to go with all the movies, in the future, at some point. **

**Until then, enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 1:

The moon sat high in the dark sky, joined by the stars littering the inky blackness. The ocean reflected the darkness above it until it met the harbour of a port. Fires were lit across the piers, the yellow light flickering in the darkness and lighting up the wood.

People scurried over the piers, carrying loads back and forth, running up and down ramps toward the ships that were docked at the harbour. Many large trade ships were docked as well as smaller supply ships and fishing ships.

Amongst these large ships was one that almost blended in with the darkness. Its hull was black, along with the sails and cannons. The wood of the ship seemed stained with ash, giving it its constant black look. Crew members were walking up and down the ramp from the ship to the pier, many carrying boxes and crates onto the ship from the pier.

One man was standing watching everyone and directing people. He had a head of hair with greying sideburns, his beard and moustache shorter in length. He wore a blue vest and dirty white shirt as he shouted instructions and directions. He had a piece of paper in his hand and a line of people before him which he was interviewing. When he was done talking to one, they would either move onto the ship, beginning to help the other crew members, or would move off back down the pier and toward the port, looking rather dejected.

A girl walked amongst them all, moving down the pier with a bottle in her hand and weaving her way through the pirates. Many of them dipped their hats, saluted to her as she passed and she gave them all a nod of the head as she went.

Her hair was brown at the roots before lightening to gold and then a light blonde at the tips. Her breeches clung to the curves of her hips and legs and her boots rose to her knees. Her shirt was a deep blue, tucked into her breeches. There was a sash over her shoulder and a belt around her waist holding in two swords that hung at her waist. There was a pistol holster strapped to her thigh with a gun slung into it. A few chains draped over her hips from the belt as she had bracelets and leather around her wrists and a few rings decorated her fingers. There was a headband around her hair, across her forehead which held in most of her hair beneath it bar a few strands.

She walked toward the black ship, patting the First Mate on the shoulder as she went and then up the ramp to the deck of the ship. She looked around but the deck was rather empty as the crew were working. She moved for a set of double doors, opening them before crossing her arms and leaning on the frame of the door.

One person sat inside at a large table. It was covered in papers and he was bent over it all, a compass beside him, a jug of rum with him as he had his hands on his face, looking frustrated, and slightly worried.

"Something on your mind, Captain Sparrow?" She asked and he looked up to see her.

"Blake, darling." He grinned.

She pushed off the door frame and walked into the room, closing the double doors behind her.

He had a red headband around his head and forehead, holding in his dreads, half of which were tied back with the headband. A few beads laced into his hair as well as a long bone. His beard was braided in two, a few beads on the ends of it as well. He wore a white shirt, dark blue vest, both of which were in a very low V, exposing some of his chest. He wore the same coloured bleachers, a deep navy colour, as brown boots covered his feet. He had a ring on his right index finger and a pink sash around his waist, under his brown belt, holding in his pistol. On a stand by the door was a tricorn hat on top and a long leather coat draped with it.

Blake walked forward and stood on the other side of the table to the captain. He grinned up at her but Blake rose an eyebrow as she noticed the irritation behind the fake grin.

"Jack, your crew is in perfect bossing position and you're in here, brooding. Not only that, but you could be spending your time in a brothel and yet, again, you're hiding away? What's wrong?" She asked.

"None of those wenches would compare to you dearie." He smiled at her.

Blake rose an eyebrow, clearly not deterred or distracted by the compliment.

Jack looked at her, knowing she was still waiting for a response. He toyed with his tongue in contemplation, clearly pondering whether he wanted to open his mouth or not. Blake watched him, his resolve unsure, before she rose her hand and put the full bottle of rum within it on the table before the pirate.

Jack looked at it, his eyes moved from the bottle to Blake as she had a smug look on her face. Jack grinned before he went to grab the bottle. Blake, who still had a hand on the neck tilted it away from him, making him pause. He gazed up at her and she rose both her eyebrows expectantly. He reached further forward for the bottle but she tipped it away again.

Jack looked at her annoyed.

"Spill." She said.

Jack sighed, torn between opening his mouth and having more rum.

"I have a conundrum." he said

"Wow, that's a big word for you." She said looking impressed. He gave her a look and she grinned in an apologetic way. "What's your conundrum?" She prompted.

Jack sighed and looked at the maps before him before he gazed up at Blake. He looked calculating again.

"What do you know about Davy Jones?" He suddenly asked.

Blake's entire demeanour changed. Her smile vanished, her blue eyes darkened to look like grey thunderclouds and she stood herself up straight, releasing the bottle. Jack took the opportunity and snatched it before she could stop him, but Blake was glaring darkly down at Jack.

"Why?" She questioned. Jack looked up at her and a shiver went down his spine. She looked dark and mutinous. His glee at getting the rum bottle vanished and his eyes narrowed as he looked at her.

"What do you know about him?" he repeated, though now looking cautious.

"A bit." She responded. She took a breath and her furious state now turned suspicious.

"Like?" He asked. Jack got to his feet with the bottle and walked around the table toward her.

"You looking for anything particular?" She asked.

Jack stood beside her and she looked at him waiting. "The rumours…" he began, "Is it true?"

"Is what true?" She asked.

"Did he cut out his heart?" He asked.

Blake took a breath. "You're in here, contemplating about Jones' heart?"

Jack grinned, toying with the cork that blocked the neck of the rum bottle in his hand. He didn't respond as Blake looked at him pulling on the cork.

"Why?" She asked. She reached for the bottle and he went to move it out of her reach before she snatched it. He watched her remove the cork for him before handing it back.

He smiled at her. "Curiosity." He responded before taking a swig of the alcohol.

"Okay, what exactly about your curiosity do you want?"

"Do you know if it's true?" He asked, leaning closer to her.

"If he cut his heart out? Yes he did." She nodded before crossing her arms.

"Where is it?" Jack asked next.

Blake rose an eyebrow. "Why does that matter?" She questioned.

"I want to find it." He said. Blake appraised him, confused. Why would Jack want the heart of the Lord of the Sea? What benefit does that have?

"You know…" she said carefully, "They say that by possessing the heart of Davy Jones, you can command him to do whatever you want?"

Jack plastered a fake surprised look on his face, shaking his head slightly. "Really?" He asked.

"You are such a bad lier." Blake said and he now looked offended.

"I am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too." They argued as she placed her hands on her hips. Jack smirked at her, his eyes racking downwards at the movement.

"Alright love, say that I am, and I do want it for that purpose." He said, taking a step forwards, his free hand moving to fiddle with the hem of her breeches. "Would that be a problem?"

"Maybe." She responded, ignoring his hand on her hip. "What could Jack Sparrow want from Davy Jones?" She wondered.

"Well if I can get him to do what I want, why wouldn't I want the heart?" He asked as if it was obvious.

"You don't want to incur the wrath of Davy Jones Jack, or do you want his 'pet' to be after you?" Blake asked with an amused look. Jack looked worried, his hand moved, hovering over her hip now. Blake looked at him as he turned his gaze away and plastered a smile on his face.

Blake's expression changed as she looked at him. She looked back at the maps before taking a step back to look over him properly.

"You're scared of it." She realised.

"Everyone's scared of it, love." He smiled at her.

"Not everyone." She responded.

"Well it might be different for the daughter of a goddess." Jack said, "Especially when she can't die."

"That's not why I'm not scared of it." Blake added. "That thing can swallow me and send me to the locker just like anyone else." Jack rose an eyebrow surprised. "I think." She added, earning a smirk from Jack before he looked back at her curiously.

"You can die?"

"I don't really see the locker as death, considering you can escape it." Blake admitted with a shrug. "But I'm not talking about being scared of it in general." She said, "You're scared of it coming after you." Blake looked at him as he rolled his lips and contemplated.

The kraken, Davy Jones' pet, did his bidding by collecting the debts owed to him. People made deals with the man, for all sorts of reasons, one of them being to escaped death. Those who didn't comply, were dragged to the locker by the kraken.

Blake's eyes widened as she understood.

"You made a deal with him." She whispered.

Jack stepped back and eyed her before he lowered his gaze.

"You made a deal with Jones?!" She asked again her voice rising. He gave her an annoyed look. "What did you ask for?" She questioned.

"You don't know?" He asked.

Blake sneered. "I don't make a point of talking to Davy Jones." She muttered.

"You know, you seem to hate him more than anyone I've ever met." Jack said. "In fact, I think you hate Jones more than you hated Barbossa." He smirked slightly.

"Barbossa can't compete." Blake confessed.

"So what did he do to you then?" Jack grinned.

"We're talking about you Jack, what did you ask Davy Jones for?" She demanded.

Jack leaned back from the girl and glanced around the cabin. Jack turned back to her and his expression was stubborn, but Blake noticed the look and she looked around as well.

Jack was surprised as she suddenly hit him.

"You idiot." She said and he looked at her through his narrowed eyes. "You asked for a ship? You sold your soul for a hunk of wood?"

Jack didn't answer, he looked around the cabin and moved from her side. Blake watched him before she sighed and shook her head.

"Alright fine." She muttered as Jack took a seat back behind his desk. "When's your sentence up?"

"He gave me thirteen years, it's almost over." Jack shrugged as if it didn't matter.

"And that's why you want Jones' heart." Blake nodded.

"Do you know where it is?" Jack asked.

"Why would I?" Blake asked, a cautious edge to her voice.

"Well after living how ever many lives you have, you'd think you'd have learnt a thing or two." Jack said matter-of-factly.

Blake rolled her eyes and turned to look out the window. Jack watched her, but she didn't say anything. His face began to grow into a grin as he got back up from his seat. He leaned o ver the desk towards her.

"You do know where it is." He said and she glanced at him. He moved around to stand beside her again. He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Where is it?"

"Even if I told you, it'd do nothing." She shrugged.

Jack looked disappointed, dropping his hands. "Why not?"

"Because Jack, you can get the heart, but it's locked away." She said turning to him. "You think Jones just left his heart lying around without protection? Especially if it controls him?"

Jack frowned. "I hadn't considered that…" He mumbled. Blake sighed, not surprised by this statement.

"You want Jones' heart, you first need to get into the chest." She said obviously.

"Sounds easy. We just need the key right?"

"Which key?" Blake shrugged and Jack contemplated for a while. "Where is the key?"

"You don't know?"

"Do I know where Jones hid the key to his heart?" She scoffed.

"Well I guess we'll just have to find it." Jack grinned and he moved to pick up his compass.

"Yeah, sure, let's hunt a tiny key across the seven seas, while we still have the navy on our asses." Blake said with a shrug. "Can we not deal with Norrington and the _Dauntless_ first, please?" She said obviously. "Or did you forget they're still chasing us?"

"We don't exactly have time to waste here."

"Yeah we do."

"Jones is going to release his terrible beastie on me soon, the oceans wont be safe." Jack reminded her, an edge of hysterics to his voice.

Blake smirked and she leaned forward to lean on the table. "Jack," she said and he rose an eyebrow at her. "That 'beastie' as you call it, wont touch this ship, as long as I'm on it." She said.

Jack eyed her. "Why?"

"I'm the daughter of the sea Jack, you don't think I have some leverage when it comes to things that live in it?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

Jack looked her over, as if unsure whether to believe her or not. But she winked at him as there was a knock on the door. The two turned before the First Mate entered.

"Gibbs." Blake smiled, one hand on a hip.

"Ships been reloaded captain." Joshamee Gibbs nodded to them both.

"Right then." Jack said and he got to his feet quickly before moving to the door, grabbing his hat and jacket before moving past Gibbs. Blake rolled her eyes and followed as Jack began shouting orders and Gibbs followed to repeat them.

"Weigh Anchor! Raise the ramp, get ready to make sail!" Jack smirked at Blake. "We have a mission to finish."

"We have the _Dauntless_ to escape." She corrected.

"I haven't seen that ship around?" Jack said looking at the seas.

"Listen to the goddess' daughter Jack, it might save your life." Blake said simply.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Blake was sitting on the bow sprit, looking out over the ocean before them, clean sailing waters and brilliant sunshine above them. The wind was pulling at her hair and blowing it past her neck and she enjoyed the slight chill it brought.

Naturally Jack had not listened to her and he was sailing about emptily trying to find the key that would unlock the chest and reveal the heart of Davy Jones.

Davy Jones… the monster of the sea. He was the captain of the _Flying Dutchman_, a ghost ship. Once given the job of collecting all the poor souls who died at sea and ferrying them to the afterlife, it now sailed the seas, reining terror and spreading fear for all those who heard its name. Though it did collect the souls of the dead, it collected them for servitude, forcing them to serve a hundred years aboard the _Flying Dutchman_. By the end of such a sentence, the cursed members generally became a part of the ship, and therefore, were forced to stay on the ship forever. Those who bid their souls and served, were never set free.

Blake hated the name, hated the reminder. But she also hated that Jack was now on that list. In order to free Jack, they needed the heart, and to get the heart, they needed the key. Those aboard the _Dutchman_ knew where the key was, or at least what it looked like, Blake knew what it looked like. But that didn't mean it was where it was when she did last see it… and it didn't help Jack either.

Blake sighed. She rose her thumb to her mouth, biting at the nail. Collecting information on the key, wasn't hard, and yet at the same time, it was increasingly difficult… Someone old had to be found and someone knowledgeable, someone who had dealt with pirates, easy to find, but wasn't bound to the _Dutchman_, and of course, willing to give up the information. A very rare combination.

And yet…

Blake stood up, jumping from her place and moving across the deck, her boots thumping against the wood as she moved down from the bow and towards the main deck. People were scattering and scuttling around her on the deck, cleaning, tying topes wiping down cannons. Gibbs was firing orders at everyone but the wind was calm, the sea was quiet and there was little to do at this very moment.

Blake moved past them all, receiving nods, smiles and many admiring her as she walked past. She was used to the stares of course, it came with being who she was. Jack had only gotten the first several members of this crew because they'd all wanted to meet her after all.

On the left hand side beneath the stern and the helm was the captain's cabin, and she moved towards it. She knocked as she walked in and Jack looked up from his cabin.

"You know this is my cabin, you can't just barge in." He snapped at her.

She rolled her eyes and moved towards him, the doors closing behind her. "We both know you're not going deny me entry." She smirked.

He watched her, slightly annoyed that her statement was true, and with a suspicious look on his face. She moved around his desk, trialing her fingers on the wood and sat on the arm of his chair beside him, looking down at his maps. He had tracked several headings across it, his mysterious compass sitting beside him and constantly giving him different directions. The _Pearl_ however had not gone across any of these courses.

"What is wrong with you?" She asked. His forehead furrowed as he had been watching her.

"You're going to have to be more specific."

She cast him a glance. "You've been tracking all these directions and yet, we haven't gone along any?" She said trailing her finger along one.

"I haven't decided which is best." He said simply.

"Where do they all lead?"

Jack was silent and she watched him waiting, but it became clear he wasn't going to answer.

"You have no idea do you." She said simply. It wasn't a question.

"Of course I do."

"No you don't." She said and she glanced back at the papers. "You're just running currently." He turned to her.

"Well if you'd just tell me where the chest was it wouldn't be an issue."

"I told you, you need the key."

"But if I have the heart on board, he can't sink it."

"And how are you going to tell him you have the heart when he's god knows where in the ocean and has sent his beastie on ahead?" Blake asked.

Jack opened his mouth to argue back before he paused again. He didn't have an answer. He glanced up at Blake a few times.

"Okay, fair point." He said.

"So find the key." She shrugged.

"You're the one who told me we don't know what it looks like, and how can we find it if we don't know what we're looking for?"

"So find information on it." She shrugged and he turned to her. She smirked at him.

Jack's expression lightened. "You know how to find it." He realised.

"I may have thought of something."

"What happened to dealing with the Navy first?" Jack questioned, though happy she was on his side now.

"That's why you might not be happy about my plan." She admitted.

Jack turned to look at her. "What is it?" He asked carefully.

"I'm going to have to board a Navy Ship." She said.

"That doesn't sound so bad." Jack shrugged, "You've gotten off how many of those?"

"By sinking them." Blake nodded. "The more ships I sink though Jack, the more someone recognises the patterns and the more likely someone will find me, likely someone from the Navy who I do not want to know my location."

"You always seem to be running from someone." Jack grinned.

"Do you want me to get you this information or not?" She questioned, looking at him knowingly.

"What will it require?"

"It wont be easy." She warned.

"That's the best kind of adventure." He grinned. "Now, what's the catch?"

"I know what I need, but I need the information on an exact location, for that, I'm going to have to dive through some paper work." She admitted.

Jack looked unsure for a moment. "So?"

"First," she said pointedly, "You can't send anyone else onto a Navy ship, they'll be arrested, hung, drawn and quartered before you can find the information they found, and that's if they can even do such a thing." Blake reasoned. "I'm going to have to do it, I know what I'm looking for and I can't die."

"You saying you can't be captured, unlike everyone else?" Jack smirked at her confidence.

"No, I've been captured many times, but I'd prefer it if I had you to come and get me if things went sour."

"I suppose I could save you if I feel like it." He smirked with pride.

"You will if you want that key and therefore that chest." Blake said simply. "The other thing is that I need to be on a high ranking ship." She confessed. "One that'll have the documents I'm looking for."

Jack was silent for a moment and she waited for him to process what she had said.

"You want to sneak onto, not just a Royal Navy Ship, but one of high standing and risk them seeing me or/and my ship?" He questioned.

"Not just any ship." Blake sighed. "Navy ships are hard to come by especially ones with the information I need. Luckily, we have one tailing us. It's going to have to be the _Dauntless_."

Jack stared at her. He stared at her for a long time, a look of stubbornness on his face as he was not at all on board with such a plan. She sighed at him rolling her eyes at his worries. There was no other way.

"Do you want the chest or not?" She demanded.

"There's no other way?" He muttered, hopefully.

"You're trying to get out of a deal with a heartless immortal and you're more scared of the Navy?" She said blankly.

"I am not scared of the Navy." Jack argued stubbornly.

"You're certainly acting like you are." She smirked slyly.

"Captain Jack Sparrow is not scared."

"Captain Jack Sparrow runs from everything." Blake muttered.

"Do not."

"Do so." Blake smiled, leaning down towards him. "This time, in order to survive, you're going to have to take a risk, so, do you want me to sneak onto the _Dauntless_ and find you information on your key, or not?" She asked softly.

He looked at her as her long hair cascaded over her shoulders. "You're sure this'll led us to the key?" He asked.

"I'm sure it'll get us somewhere." She confessed. "We need to talk to someone who can show and/or tell us of the key but I don't know where to find them. So, the best place to start is with records. I know what to look for and unfortunately, pirates don't keep records. The Navy however does. It'll at least get rid of one lot of people to search, because the person I'm looking for will definitely be a sailor." She explained. "And they can lead us to the key."

"Sounds like a lot of steps." Jack muttered .

"You got a better idea?" She asked, sitting back up and crossing her arms.

Jack looked at her, watching her unsurely. "I'm surprised you have to talk to anyone at all, given everything else you seem to be aware of." He confessed, his eyes narrowed slightly.

"Jack, despite saying that I know things from being alive so long, some things you can't keep track of."

"So you knew where it was once?" Jack said with a smug look.

"Possibly." She shrugged, not admitting or denying such a fact.

"Which brings me to something I can't quite put my finger on," Jack said as stood up from his seat. Blake sighed as he brushed his fingers through her hair teasingly. "How is it, that you have found, what all sorts of sailors have been looking for, for decades, but you can't find a simple key?"

"I had more time to find the chest, but I don't need the key cause I have no need for the heart." She shrugged innocently.

"That seems hard to believe, if so, why find the heart in the first place? Perhaps you always knew where the heart was and you're lying about the key." Jack grinned.

"And I'd know that how?"

"Old friend perhaps?"

Blake rose an eyebrow at the Captain before she stood up, closing the proximity between them. "That's your theory?" She asked.

"Well he must've done something much worse than Barbossa ever did, for it hit you hard." Jack grinned.

"Why would you think that?"

"I've seen the look that crosses your face when he's mentioned, Davy Jones." Jack grinned as he stood before her. "You look as dark as if someone you cared for betrayed you."

"Or as if we're talking about someone I hate."

"You hated Barbossa and never looked that angry." Jack smiled.

"Different situations take different reactions." Blake said simply.

"So what situation were you in with Jones?" Jack grinned. He was enjoying this conversation a little too much and Blake looked at him with irritation, as he was inching toward a truth she didn't want spilled.

"I'd rather not talk about it." She whispered.

"Old wounds?"

"Large ones." She nodded.

"So you do know Davy Jones." Jack smirked.

"Everyone knows him."

"Love, we're not just talking about a rumour." Jack said confidently. "Did you make a deal with him?"

"No." Blake said, releasing a breath, "But," she began and he was grinning at her in anticipation. "If you really must know. Jones has been hunting me all the same." She added.

"Why?" Jack asked suspiciously.

"He's unhappy with me." She said looking irritated.

"So there is something much more personal between you and Jones?" He grinned and she gave him a look. She noticed the innuendo behind his words and chose to ignore it. She didn't need to think about that. "So close perhaps that you were with him when he put his heart in the chest and locked it away." Jack smiled, "Or did you steal it and that's why he's after you?"

"I didn't steal it." Blake rolled her eyes.

"But you still know where it is." Jack said happily. She tilted her head and gave him a deadpanned look. Jack however lost his smile for a moment. "Is it buried on land?" He asked as an after thought.

"You think he'd leave it on the _Dutchman_ where his crew members could use it in a mutiny?" Blake asked plainly.

"Good point." Jack nodded before he grinned. "So you were there when he buried it."

"I didn't admit to that." She shrugged casually.

"But you did admit he was after you, why?" Jack asked as he looked her over. Jack's smile dropped and he looked slightly worried for a moment. "You weren't the love that caused him to rip his heart out were you?"

Blake pulled a repulsed face and started shaking her head, she took a step back from him. "Never. Never say that again to me." She said, closing her eyes as if pretending the words had not been said. "Gross." She muttered as she shook her head again and took a breath. "I can never un-see that…"

"This is rather traumatic for you." Jack muttered as he watched her.

"Two guesses why." She muttered, more to herself,

"If you weren't the reason he cut it out, why did he show you where he buried it?" Jack questioned.

"If he did cut it out because of me, why would he show me at all?" Blake asked with a sigh. Jack frowned unsurely.

"Still doesn't explain why you know where it is." He admitted.

Blake pursed her lips and glanced to the side before she looked back at him. "I'm the one who buried the chest in the first place."

Jack leaned back looking at her surprised. "He gave you his heart?"

"Yes." She nodded.

"Why?"

"Davy Jones can only step on land once every ten years, and he needed his day for the first Brethren Court. He couldn't step on land again to bury his heart and so I had to do it for him." She explained.

Jack still had the same suspicious, surprised look on his face. "Why would he trust you like that?"

"Hardly, he had several of his crew members accompany me." She grumbled, "Make sure I didn't run off with the heart or run off in general."

"Why would he care about that?" Jack asked.

"Because he wanted me as leverage." Blake said looking unhappy, "After using me he wanted to keep me prisoner on his damn ship. Tried to bind me to it despite me not making a deal."

"He used you?" Jack said slightly intrigued.

"He was stupid and acted rashly!" She hissed and Jack took a step back as she advanced on him, her eyes dark like thunderclouds. "He hurt her! And then snatched me!"

"Hurt who?" Jack asked cautiously

"Calypso." She hissed. "He was selfish and narrow-minded and ignored the type of being she was, and punished her for it! And he used me to do it!"

Jack was staring at her unsurely, confused by what she was angry about. "I'm a bit lost." He muttered, smiling ever so slightly. "You're telling me, Davy Jones, trapped the Sea goddess?"

"And used me to do it!" She repeated with nod, clenching her jaw as she threw her hands up in her frustration. "And then, to punish her more, he tried to keep me aboard his ship, stop her from seeing me. He betrayed her! And then he took all his unhappiness out on me! As if I was to blame for his rashness."

"I didn't know Jones had such emotions…"

She turned to him. "He doesn't anymore, that's what happens when you remove your heart." She said before she took a breath and walked around Jack. "He doesn't care about anything anymore. He never did." She muttered.

Jack watched her, an eyebrow raised in curiosity. "This is a lot more personal than I thought…" he confessed.

"You have no idea." She whispered.

"However… I have not heard of any betrayal in there toward you, he used you, how'd he betray you…?" He muttered.

"Who said anything about betrayal?" Blake grumbled.

"I did." He smiled slightly and she turned so he could see her raised eyebrow. "I'm surprised you can sail on the seas if Jones is after you." He admitted thinking, his forehead furrowed.

"I told you Jack, I'm not scared of the kraken." Blake said, turning to look at the dark seas outside the window. "That beast can't touch me. And don't think he hasn't tried." She whispered.

"Jones sent his beastie after you?"

"And yet I'm still here." She said before sighing. "It was one of his extreme measures to recapture me."

"Are you sure you didn't make a deal with him."

"No, I didn't."

"Then why does he want you?" Jack asked.

Blake grit her teeth before she turned to Jack with a defeated look, irritation and sadness blended into her expression.

"I'm his daughter."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

Jack stood with his mouth hanging open and Blake crossed her arms as he seemed frozen in his spot. She rose an eyebrow as he was still standing without a single movement.

"Are you going to break from your shock any time soon?" She said sounding annoyed.

Her voice made Jack blink, then he did again but he was still staring at her.

And then his mouth closed and he leaned back, looking at her with surprise still as his eyes racked over her, trying to see the resemblance and process the words. Blake stood and waited becoming more annoyed as the silence passed and his eyes moved over her.

"Jack!" She snapped and he jumped ever so slightly.

He was silent for just a moment more. He then pointed at her. "You're his spawn."

Blake scoffed and pulled a face. "Nice way to put it." She turned to look at the bright blue waves outside the window again. It was a reminder of them both after all.

"Wait… so Davy Jones… actually—"

"Don't finish that sentence." Blake cut him off, holding up her hand and pulling a grimace. She didn't need to think about her parents doing such.

"Hang on, what does you being his… daughter…" Jack pulled a face at the word, still confused by the revelation, "have to do with him wanting you?" She turned back to him and took a breath, crossing her arms.

"He wants to keep me away from my mother." She said. "Punish her by keeping me from her."

"Your…" Jack's eyes widened again. "Davy Jones… and Calypso?" Blake rolled her eyes as Jack's forehead furrowed. "They were… they… together…"

"Well seeing as my mother is Calypso and I just told you my father is Jones it shouldn't be that surprising." Blake mumbled.

"Davy Jones and the Sea Goddess?" Jack continued.

"Well, he is classified as the Lord of the seas, and she's the Queen of the Seas so…" Blake muttered as she took a few steps across the cabin.

"Didn't she make him Lord of the Seas?" Jack muttered.

"Because she loved him."

"So she's the one who forced him to cut his heart out." Jack realised. Blake sighed at his slowness. "That's interesting." He then grinned and looked at her like she was the light of day. "Wait… if I have you—"

"You can use me as leverage." Blake finished plainly, looking like she'd heard the words many times.

"Someone else has said that too?" Jack muttered.

"Barbossa did." She said with a shrug and Jack stared at her before there was realisation in his face.

"That's why he called you Miss Jones, he knew who you were." He said smirking slightly.

"Yeah… he found out." Blake reached to her neck, reaching into the collar, and pulled on the golden chain that always hung around it, pulling out the medallion, tucked down her front. One side held engravings of a triquetra, while the other was decorated in sapphires which curved around the edge of half the medallion. "He recognised this." She sighed. "Unlike you, he actually knew what it was and its meaning, properly." Blake rolled her eyes annoyed. "He kept me on this boat as leverage. He thought that either I or Davy Jones could break the curse they were under. Luckily they never met Jones, so Jones never knew I was on the ship and couldn't snatch me up. Barbossa and his crew didn't know how to summon him, luckily."

"Jones can be summoned?" Jack muttered.

"Sorta." She mumbled. "Dropping me in the ocean might do it." She added annoyed. "Anyway I refused to help because they were assholes… not that I would even know where to begin in trying." Blake sighed. She walked over and leaned on Jack's desk. "But he's not the only one who decided I'd be good to use against Jones. When I was younger, before I had my own name, people connected me really easily, everyone knew of Jones' daughter back then." Blake rolled her eyes. "Took me ages to quash those rumours." She muttered. "Changing my name helped."

"I don't think I've ever seen someone hate their father so much." Jack muttered as he watched her. Blake's entire expression darkened and she took a deep breath, calming herself.

"Yeah well, I told you, he used me. And he hurt my mother, punished her the worst way possible and then decided to keep me prisoner to further hurt her." Blake said. "He used me as a pawn for his vengeance." She looked up at Jack. "Wouldn't you be pissed at that? He took his anger at her, out on me. He hates me, because of her. He caused me pain, anguish, disappointment… he locked me up and trapped me, me, his own daughter, to punish her for something that wasn't her fault!" She stood herself up.

"I have every right to hate him. He hates me, why shouldn't I give it back."

"Still surprised you want to help me unlock the chest."

"We get you out of his deal, and that's a sting towards him. Anything to show him he's not all powerful." She said.

"You want to get back at him." Jack muttered.

"I am the biggest thorn in his side and I intend to stay that way. I can't die so I can't appear on his ship, his kraken can't kill me, he sucks at finding me, and now, I'm going to ruin his 'business'." She walked towards Jack. "My mother gave him a job and he's abusing the power she gave him, it's time we remove it."

"But you need to find the key?" Jack said.

"We." She corrected. "We need to find the key, you need to save your life, and I need to be a childish pain in the ass to her parent." She shrugged.

Jack smirked slightly and she shrugged.

"Now, do you object to the plan?" She asked.

"Never heard a plan when so many things can go wrong." Jack muttered.

"Coming from you, when do you ever make such a plan?" She questioned with an incredulous look on her face.

"I make plans." He shrugged.

"Do not." She argued.

"Do so."

"My plan has more parts to it than any of yours, and all its got is get on a ship, save me if I get caught." She said.

"Sounds like you're leaving all the hard bits to me." Jack smirked.

"Well why not?" She asked grinning cheekily.

"Any idea on how to find the _Dauntless_?" Jack wondered.

"We don't need to find the _Dauntless_." Blake shrugged. "The _Dauntless_ will find us. We just need to be patient."

"Patient?" Jack muttered.

Blake sighed dramatically and walked towards him, placing her hands on his shoulder. "I know, it's not your strong suit, but for this small quest, you're going to have to manage."

Jack rose an eyebrow at her, slightly annoyed by her treating him like he was a child, and yet amused at her all the same.

"And how do you suggest I do such a thing?" He offered.

"Well you could always distract yourself by doing something else." She shrugged, trailing a hand down his arm. "After all, there's no haste as long as your hands are clean of the spot."

"That actually happens?" He muttered.

"Oh yeah," She nodded. "Your hand turns dried up and black, as if it's been rotting in water, shrivelled."

Jack pulled a face, looking most disagreeable. He looked at his hand and flexed his fingers as Blake smirked.

"This amuses you doesn't it?"

"That my father will be sending the kraken here, so I can send it away, yes, that he'll likely come looking for you and find me here, no." She said sighing. "The longer he doesn't know of my presence, the better off we all are."

"Is that so?"

"Trust me Jack, if he learns I'm here, and we, me included, refuse to give me to him, he'll likely remove the _Black Pearl_ from this world, any way he can, to punish you for harbouring me." She smiled.

"But if I give you up…" he muttered.

Blake frowned, stepping forwards to move her arms around his neck. She pouted. "Really? You'd give me up?"

"Not like you couldn't escape." Jack shrugged as he smirked at her, his hands moving to trail over her waist as he looked her over.

"It was hard enough the first time Jack." She said sighing, her expression becoming tired as she thought about it.

"You'd think being his daughter you'd have a few more tricks."

"You're forgetting he has an entire ship of immortals." Blake said.

"Fishy immortals." Jack mumbled.

Blake nodded. "That's what abuse of power looks like. It's a consequence of not doing the job."

"Can't believe he agreed to such a job." Jack said.

"Sailing the sea for eternity, being with the one he loves, for eternity." She sighed. "When you love someone so much you do anything for them, anything to be with them."

"You know the feeling?" Jack wondered.

"I know what it's like to do what I can for the ones I love, I would sacrifice myself for those people." She muttered, looking at the ocean.

Jack watched her, a curious look on his face and she turned to him in his silence.

"What?"

"I never knew you'd fallen before." He confessed.

"Oh Jack, I was full on married once." She smirked and his eyes widened as he looked at her shocked.

"You?!" He asked.

"You say that like it's impossible." She snapped back.

"Well I didn't see you as the type to be tied down." He shrugged.

"Oh, you mean like you? I have to share myself with everyone." She smiled. She lowered her hand, trailing it down his front to trace her fingers, with a feather light touch, down his bare chest, exposed by the low hanging V of his shirt and vest. Jack's eyes closed slightly at the feel as she trailed her fingers up his neck and flicked it off the end of his chin, knocking the beads of his beard as she did.

"I suppose that's one way we could put it." He muttered in response. "Though I don't know if you had to share yourself with everyone, more one person couldn't bind you." He smirked slightly and she rose an eyebrow at him.

"Did you just make a joke, because my mother is bound in human bones?" She asked.

"Maybe." He muttered as he toyed with a piece of her hair. "Do you disagree?"

"That one man can't tie me down?" She asked with an amused look. "I'll confess none has been able to for a long time." She smirked coyly, "Or at least not for long."

"Suppose it must be hard to tame a goddess." Jack muttered as he pulled lightly on her waist to move her closer to him.

"Hard? It's impossible." She returned as he rose a hand and ran a ringed finger through her hair.

"Impossible?" He asked.

"To tame? Yes. Submission could perhaps happen for a moment, depending on the moment." She said smirking. "So Jack," she said smugly. "Do you have the guts to give it a try?"

Jack grinned at her. The fact that she toyed with him made him have to prove he did. He placed his hand, the palm and wrist covered in the leather thonging, at the back of her head and pulled her closer to him. He kissed her, his moustache tickling at her lips as she slid a hand down his front and around his waist, trailing her fingers across the top of his breeches.

Jack flayed his fingers as he placed his other hand on the small of her back. She stepped forwards, pushing on him until his back hit one of the walls. Jack grabbed at her shirt, tucked into her bleachers and pulled it out, his hand moving over her smooth skin. For a pirate, Blake had very smooth skin, any injuries she received healed due to her Goddess blood, leaving no trace of it. Though there were a few exceptions.

Blake traced her hands up his chest and removed the blue vest he always had on. Jack removed his arms from around her to allow the vest to drop to the ground before she undid the buttons of his shirt to follow. Unlike Blake, his body was scared from his adventures. He had the branded P on his wrist, just below his tattoo of a sparrow, a large scar in the crook of his left elbow and two bullet wounds on his right shoulder, one almost close to his chest.

Jack turned and pushed on Blake who fell backwards, only for her back to hit the mattress of the Captain's bed. Jack trailed a hand down her cheek and to her collar bone and she took a breath, her head tilted slightly to the side before he brought his hand to her chin and turned her face towards him, placing his lips back to her's.

Jack began to undo the buttons of her shirt while she pulled on his breeches, pulling him closer to her as her knees rose on either side of him, clad in their leather. She caught the heel of one of her boots on the base of the bed and pulled her foot from it, the shoe landing with a thump on the floor before she did the same with the other one. Jack reached back and pulled his boots off before he lifted Blake by her back and pulled the shirt over her shoulder's and down her arms to cascade it aside with his shirt as well, tossing it behind him.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

The sky was inky black, the twinkles of stars brightening it and separating it from the water. The oceans were calm and quiet, lapping noiselessly upon one another. Amongst the expanding ocean, a ship sat atop of it, blue and yellow in colour with spectacular large white sails and the union jack above the crows nest. With three rows of cannons the ship was the pride of the Royal Navy. The air was still as no wind blew, the sails were tied up and the anchor of the ship was dropped.

"Almost seems empty." Jack muttered as he peered through his spy glass at the _Dauntless_.

"Clearly you're not looking properly." Blake sighed as she saw the soldiers stationed on deck taking a few steps beside the railing, their muskets leaning against their shoulders.

"How do you plan on sneaking past them all?" Gibbs questioned.

"Really quietly." Blake responded with a shrug.

The_ Black Pearl_ was sitting atop the calm water, all its lamps doused so that it blended in the darkness of the night, the black hull, masts and sails becoming invisible.

Gibbs rose an eyebrow, glancing at Jack. The three of them were standing at the railing as everyone was quiet and still through the night. Unlike the _Dauntless_, the _Black Pearl_'s sails were still spread and the anchor had not been dropped.

"How do you plan on getting there?" Marty questioned from beside her, standing a whole torso below everyone else. "Long boat?"

"Long boat would make too much noise." She knew.

"Then how?" Gibbs asked.

"Just trust me." She whispered. "You all better get ready. I'll either be back in under half an hour, or they'll catch me at it and the _Dauntless_ will become very action filled." She muttered.

"How are we going to get you out?" Jack questioned.

"You just need to distract the soldiers from me." She said with a smirk. "You can decide on the extremities."

Gibbs and Marty shared a look as Jack rose an eyebrow at her. "Just stay quiet, if you're found, I might have a harder time of it sneaking around."

"You still need to get to the ship." Jack muttered to her.

"Have a little faith." She whispered. She glanced around the ship at those watching them, whispering to one another. She turned to Jack as he was watching her suspiciously. "Distract everyone for a minute."

He rose an eyebrow and looked around at everyone, all of them watching the captain and his first mate, talking to the famous, feared Captain Villemaire.

"To your posts you ungrateful bilgerats!" Jack snapped at them all and instantly everyone began to run around the deck, preparing the ship. Blake was watching the _Dauntless_ before her, glancing at the waters. She couldn't wear herself out so instantly, but she was going to have to exert a little in order to get there undetected.

"Right, if all goes well, I'll climb back on board and we'll sail away without ever being spotted. If things go badly, I'll be seen and I'll need a distraction to get back off, if things go really badly someone will have to come over and get me." She muttered. "This is such a bad plan."

"It's not a plan." Jack muttered back.

Blake shot him a look. "Remember, this is all for you."

"Coming from the one who wants to spite her daddy." Jack added with a grin.

Blake crossed her arms. "Your life is the one on the line."

Jack glared at her for a moment, his eyes narrowing. "Remember I'm the one who's going to save you." He said.

"Not if I don't get caught."

"Coming from the girl who always seems to be getting caught."

"You can't talk." She returned. "Now shut up, and stay quiet." She turned to look back at the _Dauntless_. "I'm totally not going to get out of this unharmed." She muttered.

"Still got those tweezers?" Jack grinned.

She rolled her eyes before she moved to the edge of the ship, to the gap in the railing where indents for steps ran down the side of the large black ship. Blake placed her foot on the edge and pushed off to dive head first into the ocean.

She hardly made a splash or a ripple and no sound echoed through the darkness as she vanished below the surface. Gibbs, Marty and several other of the Crew members ran to the edge of the ship beside Jack, all of them peering over the railing.

Blake couldn't be seen at all.

"Where'd she go?" Gibbs muttered.

"Hopefully to the ship." Jack responded as he peered at the waters.

Blake shook her head, removing her hair from her face as she held her breath, the darkness of the water pressing down on her. Despite this she brought her hands together, stretching them out before her, before she went shooting through the sea, bubbles shot out from behind her as she shot faster than a person could swim towards the _Dauntless_. Her hair was thrown backwards over her headband as the sleeves of her shirt were thrown to her elbows by the force of the water.

The hull of the _Dauntless_ came into view through the darkness of the water and Blake broke her hands apart, slowing to a stop. Her naturally ombre hair floated around her as she now had to find a way to climb on deck stealthily.

She kicked at the water, moving her arms, and moved as close to the ship as she could before rising to the surface. She let the air rush in through her nose, breathing it deeply. She looked up the ship, hiding against it with the railing high above her. She placed her hand on the wood and began to move through the water quietly, keeping an eye on the railing as she looked for the anchor. What a better way than to creep up the anchor? After all, that's what Barbossa's crew had done back at the Isla de Muerta when climbing onto this ship, and that seemed to work.

Blake found the anchor, its chain dispatched into the water and she grabbed the large metal loops to hoist herself slowly from the water. The water dripped off her clothes as she did, running down her body and becoming cold as her clothes and hair was heavier than usual. Blake paused, grabbing the leather at her wrist and bundling up all her hair behind her head. She squeezed out the water before tying it up out of the way and continuing to the ship.

She reached the portholes of the cannons, which were currently closed. She released one hand from the anchor's chain and leaned to her left to the nearest one. She reached for the wooden shutter over the hole, but there was no way her fingers would etch open the flap. She grit her teeth in irritation.

She looked around the ship, glancing at the railing. There was no way she'd be able to get on the deck without being spotted, she had to start below deck. She glanced down at the water before she glanced back upwards at the railing. Blake wove her hand and a stream of water rose from the water and into the porthole. She drew her hand back and the water pushed the wood out. Blake grabbed it quickly before it could shut again. She paused, incase anyone inside had caught the silent movement before she took a breath and reached the other hand for the base of the porthole, her legs clinging to the chain. When she was sure she wasn't going to loose her grip, or have her fingers slammed by the shutter, she released her grip on her legs.

Blake hung on the side of the _Dauntless_, glancing back at the railing before, with a blast of wind, she shot upwards and her entire torso went through the hole and into the ship.

She stopped, looking around the hold. With the cannons being on three levels, she couldn't remember where the crew slept, whether it was one floor below or perhaps even above. Luckily, it wasn't this level. She pulled her legs into the ship and grabbed the shutter of the porthole before it could bang and break the silence, lowering it back into place.

Blake kept to the shadows as she moved across the floor. Most of the water had dropped from her and she was no longer dripping as badly. Now she was on board, she had to get to either a records room, or the captain's cabin. She wasn't sure whereabouts they'd keep the info she needed, which would take her slightly longer.

She moved for the stairs up to the deck and glanced out of the exit. She couldn't see anyone, neither could she hear footsteps. She took the risk and moved a few steps, sitting on them to peak her head out of the deck. She ducked instantly as someone walked past.

Maybe she hadn't thought this through as well as she should have… she told Jack half an hour, but it seemed like she was going to need that much time just to find the records, let along find the right one.

"Would have been easier to just walk on and kill everyone." She breathed in annoyance.

She peaked over the ridge again and saw two men with their backs to her, another walking on the other side of the deck. Really she just needed a distraction.

Blake sat herself back down and she took a breath, closing her eyes.

There was the sound of a large splash outside, echoing through the wood and she heard footsteps.

"Look!"

"Over there!"

She peaked out again before she saw the soldiers, in their red coats, all peering over the railing.

She smirked and quickly moved up the stairs and for the door beneath the Helm. All important things were kept under the helm.

She opened the door and creeped in, closing it very slowly and quietly. She peered down the corridor, no surprise it was empty, why would you put guards in here?

She began to move through the corridor, not passing a door for a few steps. It turned out she was in a bit of luck, the doors were labelled.

There was a storage room, the Quartermaster's cabin, the first mate's cabin, a washroom, the Captain's cabin, Meeting room… and she'd reached the end of the hallway.

That was it? She was so hoping for a record's room. She turned for the door labelled Meeting room.

"That'll have to do for now." She decided before she leaned her ear on the door. There seemed no sound inside and so she reached for the door handle and turned. She opened it a tiny bit and saw the lights were off.

She ducked inside instantly and closed the door with a soft click behind her.

The room was as dark as the outside, windows on the far back wall however showed her the ocean and the stars. She knew if she tried hard enough she'd find the _Pearl_, but now was not the time.

She moved in and lightly bumped a desk with her thigh before she felt along it. Her hand grabbed a lamp and she fiddled before light glowed over the table before her. The room was actually larger than she expected and she looked around the room, hoping for boxes or cabinets, something that showed records which she needed.

Naturally it wouldn't be that easy and so she began to go through draws and shelves. She finally found folders filled with arrest records. God she loved how organised the Navy could be. She moved them to the desk and began to flick through them all, she scanned descriptions, crimes, known assailants, trying to find what she recognised, and more importantly, needed.

She sat herself down in one of the seats as she went through the files, sitting at the table with the light beside her. She flicked through several more pages before she stopped. She stood to her feet, her finger trialing the page before voices sounded. She looked up just as the door opened and a light shone in through the hallway.

She blinked as the soldiers all stopped and stared at her surprised.

"Bugger." She mumbled.

Norrington was standing in the front, having been talking to his lieutenant.

Instantly the pistols were pulled from the holsters and aimed at her. One of the soldiers turned and ran down the corridor to inform the crew and get back up.

"How did you get in here?" Norrington demanded as his lieutenant had a gun pointed at her and she straightened up.

"I snuck." she shrugged, "You should probably keep a soldier or two in the corridor, would stop snoopers like me." She said pointing.

Several more soldiers appeared in the hallway.

"Men, grab some irons, restrain Miss Villemaire." Norrington ordered.

"Captain Villemaire."

"Just as bad as Sparrow, what crew are you captain of?" Norrington questioned as several soldiers moved into the room and two grabbed her, pulling her arms behind her back while another clapped iron cuffs on her wrists.

"Just because you don't see them, doesn't mean they're not there." She responded before she was being forced out of the room. She staggered a bit when she was first shoved before she was being forced back down the corridor and out onto the deck. She was held fast, now out in the open, several of the soldiers out there dropped their muskets from their shoulders to point them at her.

Norrington moved to stand in front of her as she turned to glance in the direction of the _Pearl_. It was still invisible.

"What are you doing here?" He asked her. "Why'd you sneak aboard?"

"Well, clearly I was after something you had." She said rolling her eyes.

Norrington looked annoyed as his mouth was thin and pursed together. "Where's the _Pearl_?"

"If you can't see it it's clearly not here." She shrugged. Several people turned to look around at her words but Norrington still stared.

"What were you looking for?"

"Oh I just needed some information, nothing major. You Red Coats keep copies of everything everywhere, it becomes very easy to get something when you know where to look."

"And how would you know that?"

"Well, my brother was an Admiral and his descendants are as well, remember, Edwards, I didn't make the name up you know. Besides, I've been on many Navy ships." She confessed casually. _Come on Jack… _she was stalling.

And then she heard it. Everyone did. There was an explosion and everyone turned before the entire _Dauntless_ shook as a cannon ball went straight through the cargo hold.

Blake jumped her hands and rounded to kick the musket from one soldier's hand and turned to grab it before firing at another. She turned and bashed the base of the gun into a soldier's face as they were loosing their footing and looking around surprised. Blake dropped the gun and ducked out from between all the soldiers. She moved to the railing, hopping onto it before she looked down at her wrists and pulled on the chains binding them. She yanked, the metal cutting into her ever so slightly before the chain snapped.

"Open Fire!" Blake turned to see several soldiers all accumulate, the muskets being loaded and she turned to run along the railing towards the back of the ship. The horizon was beginning to lighten as she grabbed the rat line and began to swing and climb herself up it. As she did the muskets began to fire at her, the gun shots echoing all through the air.

Several of the shots hit true and she winced as they hit her body, the bullets imbedding into her stomach, her legs and one hit her arm. She hissed and grit her teeth angrily before she reached the Crows nest. She swung herself over with so much force that when her foot collided with the soldier within it, he collapsed to the ground and didn't move.

She groaned audibly and looked down at her clothes, the black pants and blue shirt beginning to change colour as the blood soaked into them.

"I hate guns!" She snapped as she turned to look around across the ocean. As the horizon lit up she was able to make out the _Pearl_. It was now a greying colour as the darkness was lifting and it was coming closer to the _Dauntless_.

Blake looked around the Crows nest before she grabbed a rope. She watched the _Pearl _as those on the _Dauntless_ were too preoccupied with climbing the ratline to get to her to notice the pirate ship. Blake tied the rope off onto the Crows nest before she wove the entire thing through her hands until she could find the end. She tied a loop in that too before glancing down at the soldier's on the ratline, they'd reach her in a moment.

She looked back at the _Pearl_ as someone below shouted, they'd noticed the ship. Norrington started shouting for the many guns of the _Dauntless_ to be loaded as Blake climbed up onto the edge of the crows nest. The loop in the rope over her wrist and holding the rope tightly, she jumped away from the _Pearl_ and fell. More gunshots sounded as the rope strung tight and she was yanked, swinging through the air before she was thrown upwards in the air and towards the _Pearl_.

Blake released the rope and was sent flying through the air towards the black ship. She reached her hands forwards before she hit one of the black sails with a grunt. She slid down the sail towards the deck below as Cotton, who was at the helm, turned the wheel quickly to angle the _Pearl_ away from the _Dauntless_ as its canons began to fire.

Blake fell from the sail and to the deck, her feet hitting the deck before they collapsed from under her and she hit the deck in a heap.

"Miss. Blake!"

"Cap'n!"

Shouts sounded out to her and she coughed with a sigh. She pushed herself into a sitting position as she looked around at everyone.

"Was that classified as dangerous?" She asked.

Many grinned at her and a few chuckled.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

The crew of the _Black Pearl_ ran around in hysterics as Gibbs was shouting orders out at them all. He was running around doing as many jobs as he gave out as the wind was being thrown into the sails and the ship plastered through the waves of the ocean.

Blake got to her feet, wincing and stumbling slightly before she pushed through the pain and hurried to the railing. She climbed up the ratline to get a better look as the cannons still fired at them.

Jack stood at the helm, the wheel between his hands and he glanced over his shoulder as a cannon fire sounded.

"We're still in range of the long nines." Blake said as she suddenly came swinging towards him. She stumbled across the deck as she hurried up towards Jack.

"You all right?" He asked her.

"You can dig the slugs out when we have a minute." She confessed, shaking her wounded arm in an effort to remove the pain and aches there. Jack looked her over unsurely but was distracted from concentrating on the blood stains on her clothes as the _Dauntless_ fired on them again. Blake rose her spyglass to watch the navy officers onboard reload the cannons and get shouted at by the lieutenant.

Another cannon fired and it hit the railing of the _Pearl_, a few men were blown off of their feet.

"Oi! Miss I've-sunk-heaps-of-ships-by-myself, you wanna do something?" Jack snapped at Blake. "You're the reason they're after us!"

She looked at him irritatedly. "I'm not exactly in the position, nor am I stable enough, to exert that much, safely!" She hissed back.

Everyone ducked as a cannon flew other the top of the ship and smashed a lamp from behind the helm. Jack looked at it irritated.

"If my ship gets any more holes in it, you're fixing them." He snapped at the ombre-haired girl.

"Oh is that right?" She snapped back.

"Yes!" He said looking annoyed.

"This is happening because you made a stupid decision." She reminded him.

"You're back on that!" He asked.

"You can't blame me when I'm trying to help you." She said as she closed the spyglass, spun around and the sails suddenly stretched, the ship launched forwards and everyone was thrown off their feet backwards, all that is, but Blake. The wind had picked up and the _Black Pearl_ gained more speed.

Blake's limbs were all screaming at her, but she was now irritated, so she ignored them. She rounded back at the captain who was shaking his head and sitting up from being thrown backwards to the deck.

"You want to see me do something!?" Blake snapped at Jack who looked at her slightly frightened. Her eyes were grey again in her anger and her persona screamed dangerous. "Fine! I'm shot full of holes and trying to be nice, and yet it's still not enough, but fine!"

Blake turned and moved down the stairs, she could feel her clothes sticking to her as she lost more blood from her wounds. Despite that she ran for the ratline, swung herself around it to then climb up.

"What's she doing?" Gibbs demanded as he moved up the stairs towards Jack.

"I have no idea." They ducked as another cannon fire sounded.

Blake climbed up the ropes and rigging until she reached the cross nest, pulling herself up into it, surprising the man who stood there.

"I'm gonna need you to climb down." She confessed and he looked confused.

Blake pursed her lips as he didn't move. "You wanna argue with me!?" she snapped angrily and the man jumped before shaking his head fiercely. He began to hurry his way away from the girl who turned to the_ Dauntless_, chasing behind the _Pearl_.

"I didn't think so." She muttered before she hissed and placed a hand at her stomach. Her hand came away covered in blood, a drop running off her nail and to the floor. "My pride is going to get me so badly damaged." She muttered to herself. But she couldn't help it, she was a pirate Captain and she wouldn't be looked down on, nor would she allow for someone to tell her off.

She took a deep breath, ignoring the blood running down her arms, her chest, her stomach and her legs. She ignored that the cold metal brass of the bullets were sending burns through her skin and that every movement made her wish she could collapse. Instead, she watched the _Dauntless_ as it fired at them a bit more, but was falling behind. No ship could match the _Pearl_ for speed, one of the reasons it was such a formidable vessel.

Blake took a breath and looked upwards at the blue skies above her. She looked back to the _Dauntless _and glanced down at the deck where Jack and Gibbs were glancing up at her.

"Oh this is a bad idea." She muttered as she rubbed her hands together. Blake closed her eyes and took a deep breath in.

Jack and Gibbs were gazing up at the Crows nest as they watched Blake who moved her arms, raising them.

"What is she doing?" Gibbs repeated confused.

Jack was gazing up at her with his mouth open, squinting against the sun which was now high over the horizon. The brightness of its light however was suddenly blocked out.

Gibbs and Jack looked around the ship as clouds rolled in, the sun was blocked out and the blue sky turned grey. Thunder clapped across the sky as the wind began to pick up, thrashing at the canvas and whipping at the hats of the crew. Jack placed his hand on his head to stop his hat being caught while his jacket flapped around his knees.

The navy officers looked around the ship confused by the dramatic change in the weather, they grabbed at their hats and wigs, ducking as the wind whipped at the ships rigging.

Lightning flashed across the sky as the wind began to swirl and thunder boomed across the ocean. Rain began to fall and it pelted at everyone's faces as the wind caused its speed to increase.

Jack held strong to the wheel, his other hand on the hat on his head, as Gibbs shouted at the crew over the heaving wind. The rigging was tightened and the cargo and cannons strapped down tighter. The ship began to tilt and sway as the waves got large and rough, the wind throwing the ship about as the rain soaked everyone through.

Blake was still standing on the crows nest, her eyes closed, ignoring the rain that slashed at her skin or the wind that yanked on her hair which was still tied up. Her hands were raised, palms pointed downwards, in front of her as she took another breath through the sudden bad weather. Lightning flashed again behind her as Jack looked upwards toward her.

"Blake!" He shouted but she couldn't hear him over the howling wind.

The Navy ship's crew were running around adapting their ship to the weather, keeping the gunpowder dry, strapping down and tightening ropes. The Lieutenant shouted at his crew as the Commodore had his spy glass to his eye, looking through the weather toward the _Pearl_. He looked from Jack at the helm, to the crew running around deck due to the change in weather.

And then there was Blake standing in the crows nest, still and ignoring the rocking of the boat and the tipping of the mast she stood atop of.

She opened her eyes and stared at the _Dauntles_s, right at James Norrington with his spy glass before she began to swirl her hands. The clouds began to swirl themselves and everyone stared up as it began to lower toward the water, pushing and pulling on everyone with the wind.

Before everyone's eyes a hurricane had begun to form and the weather accumulated together, swirling and rushing into the cylindrical wind.

Blake stopped swirling her hands but kept them raised, looking at the mess she'd caused between the two ships. The waves were thrashing at the boats and were dark and angry, the clouds continued to clap with thunder and crash the rain down upon them all.

She watched as the _Dauntless_ was completely blocked from view by the wind and rain, the column of wind swirling and threatening to crash anything within it. Blake glanced downwards at the ship below her, it was slopped and covered in rain and the crew members were running around, slipping over the deck. Occasionally a large wave rose and washed over, crashing the occupants of the boat to the wooden surface or sending them sliding across into the railing.

Blake lowered her hands and then staggered sideways into the railing of the crows nest. She grabbed the wood for support, her eyes were scrunched up. She really shouldn't have done that, not only was she filled with aches and pains but her head was now spinning.

Blake was still for a moment as the rain pelted down on her, any dryness she's accomplished while on the Dauntless was now gone. She ignored the wetness, the blood that was being washed from her clothes by the rain, and she pushed on her hands on the railing. She managed to heave herself back to her feet. She looked down the length of the mast below her and blinked a bit.

"This is not a good idea…" she mumbled, her words slightly mumbled.

Blake reached for the rigging and heaved herself over the railing of the Crows Nest to begin climbing down. The wind whipped at her and the rain made the ropes slippery but she kept her eyes on her footing all the same.

The ship gave a serious lurch from the waves and Blake clung herself to the ropes as her head lurched with it. She felt drowsy, clearly the use of energy and the loss of blood was too much for her head to handle. Her grip tightened as she feared loosing it and falling into the angry waves she'd created.

She was still for a moment on the ratline, before she felt confident to move some more. She managed to reach the railing before her feet slipped. Her heart jumped as her fist tightened and she slipped around the rat line before she fell onto her back on the deck. The wind rushed from her as an ache from her back now joined the rest of her body.

Many of the crew members turned to Blake as she'd cried out, the noise escaping through her lips. None of them had ever seen her loose her footing before, she was more used to the waters, waves and wind than any of the other members on board.

Gibbs had noticed her as everyone else had and he hurried over with a few others to her side.

"Miss. Blake!" He said as he kneeled beside her.

Her face was scrunched up, her body was beginning to go numb as she released a breath, burning through her throat, it came out more like a wheeze. The rain pelted her face and so when she did open her eyes, she blinked several times.

"Are you all right miss?" Marty questioned her.

She released another sigh, her eyes squeezed shut as she grit her teeth before she went to sit up. She struggled, she couldn't manage to move her limbs. Gibbs reached for her back and helped her sit up. The action brought agony. Blake blinked through the water before she was heaved to her feet, only to stagger sideways. She stumbled and was unable to stay on her feet. Everyone reached to stop her falling over again but Gibbs had a firm arm around her.

The rain was beginning to lessen now and Jack felt comfortable giving Cotton the wheel. He hurried down the steps towards the crowd around Blake, everyone moving to let him through.

"Blake, love?" He said as he looked at her.

"Jack…" she muttered before her knees seemed to give way and now both the Captain and the First Mate placed their hands to keep her standing.

"Blake, dear, what's wrong?" Jack questioned.

"Body… tOo much… over did… it." She muttered, her voice coming out in breaths. "_Dauntless_… is it… gone?" She asked.

One of the crew members turned from her to the railing, leaning over it as the _Black Pearl _was leaving the hurricane behind. The winds were calming, the ocean wasn't lashing out as much and the hard rain was turning to a drizzle.

A few other members joined the first as they tried to look through the darkness of the storm behind them.

"I can't see it!" One said.

"They've been thwarted by the storm!" Another grinned, earning a cheer.

"You mean a storm that almost took us with it." Gibbs snapped at them, earning a few other mumbles from others.

"It's gone?" Blake mumbled as she was slumped in Gibbs and Jack's arms, the only reason she was still upright.

"Yes Love, we lost them." Jack grinned at her.

"Good." Blake said before she took a breath. Everyone was surprised as her body gave out and she collapsed completely against Jack, her eyes flittering closed. Many of them reached out for her and Jack's eyes widened slightly as he instinctively wrapped his arms around the girl to stop her hitting the deck.

"Blake?"

"Miss Blake?"

"Cap'n?" Jack looked at his crew as they all called to her, his eyebrow raising at the last.

"What's wrong with her?" Gibbs whispered to Jack.

"Is she bleeding?" Marty questioned. Everyone looked at her to notice the dark patches across her water covered shirt. Her dark bleachers were no different, the dark red blood having ran down her legs. Holes joined the ensemble from where the bullets had pierced it.

Jack's eyes narrowed as he looked over her damaged form. He glanced at the hurricane they'd left, created by the girl before him, and then back down at her herself.

"I think she's exhausted…" he said to the First Mate. Gibbs looked confused. "Wore herself out." The crew all glanced at one another. "Happens when you battle a storm."

"But—" one began.

"Do you really want to argue with your captain?" Jack interrupted. The crew member fell silent, and so did all those looking at her confused.

"What do we do?" Marty spoke up.

"Take her to lie down." Jack said before nodding. "Bit of sleep and she'll be as good as new."

"Are you sure about that, Cap'n?" Gibbs asked.

"No." Jack nodded smiling. The crew all looked unsure and he looked at them all annoyed.

"Well, do I gotta do it all by meself?" he questioned and everyone began to scurry. Blake was taking from Jack, who glanced down at his jacket momentarily, finding she'd passed some of her blood not his vest and shirt. The girl was taken out of the weather and through a set of doors.

"Cap'n," Gibbs began, glancing at the crew behind as he stood by Jack's shoulder. The captain glanced at him waiting. "Bit odd, that Hurricane coming out of no where isn't it?"

"Is it? I thought it was perfectly normal." Jack said before he moved off toward his cabin.

Gibbs looked after the man confused.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

Blake stirred, her eyes squinting without even opening her lids, before she rose a hand to her head. It wasn't pounding anymore and the rope burn she'd received from the ratline on her palm, was gone. She paused, that wasn't the only wound that was gone… Without opening her eyes she moved her hand to run it over her chest and stomach. Her clothes were stiff from the rain, but there was no pain through her skin. What was more, it seemed like her wounds were all healed… someone must have removed all the bullets…

Blake opened her eyes to find herself staring at the wooden roof of one of the cabins. It was dark, though a soft glow was coming from her right. She took a breath and when no pain came she decided to risk it. She sat herself up.

Blinking through the darkness that was the cabin, she noticed it was much larger than the First Mate's cabin which she usually inhabited. Gibbs preferred to sleep with the crew and so that left it empty, along with the quartermaster's cabin, as Jack didn't have one.

No, she was in the Captain's cabin. There was darkness outside the window which covered the back wall, plunging most of the room into darkness. However, a fire in a lamp danced on the table in the middle of the room, lighting up the usual papers and the occupant who continuously looked over them. It was creating the orange glow.

"Ah you're awake." Naturally Jack was sitting at the table. Blake looked at him with an absent stare, of course he was sitting there. She looked back down at her body before she noticed there was a shallow dish on the floor. It was filled with a bit of water, had a set of tweezers over the side and was filled with about seven bullets. She rose an eyebrow. Seven huh?

"Did you remove the bullets?" She asked turning to look back at him.

"I did." He said without looking up. "You received quite the number."

"Didn't realise there was seven." She muttered as she ran her hands over her face, blinking to remove the last of the drowsiness. "Thanks for that." She said before she turned for the window. "How long have I been out?" she wondered. Considering it was dark now, and the chase had happened at dawn…

"All day. Your wounds healed pretty quickly though, once I dug the slugs out." He confessed, now looking at her and pointing her over, his finger moving up and down as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed.

"Surprised you didn't strip me to do it." She mumbled.

He smirked. "I figured I angered you enough this morning." She smirked back and nodded. She looked around the room again as her forehead furrowed.

"Why am I in your cabin?" She asked. "What's wrong with mine?" Jack rose an eyebrow at her as she reached to her head and felt the knots in her curls.

"I had to get the bullets out somehow, the crew were curious enough as it was considering you were covered in blood." He reminded her as she began to pull her fingers through her hair.

"Still covered in blood." She mumbled in correction, eyeing her legs. "Going to need to change."

Jack was watching her as she pulled at her hair and they were silent for a moment.

Finally he decided to ask her. "What happened to you?" He questioned.

"Well, I don't know if you noticed, but I created a hurricane." She said obviously. "Despite already being injured."

"So?"

She turned to look at him annoyed. "So I'm only half a goddess, some things take a toll, like large weather manipulations which make me tired enough to knock me out. Add on all the blood loss and pushing my body too far and unconsciousness shouldn't be that surprising." Blake sighed as she shook her head, her curls now combed and looking a lot neater.

"So you knocked yourself out." Jack summarised.

"To save you and your bloody ship." She mumbled. "You're welcome by the way." She added.

"Welcome?" He repeated.

"The_ Dauntless _is gone is it not?" she asked as she looked out the window to notice no one was following them. "You asked me to do something, well, there you are."

"You realise I saved you first."

"So what, we keeping track?" She asked her forehead furrowing. Jack paused and grinned at her looking very smug. Blake rose an eyebrow. "You wanna one up me or something? Because I saved you back at Port Royal so, you got a bit to go first." She smirked in triumph as he looked annoyed.

"You almost sunk my ship." Jack accused randomly, trying to get the attention off him being wrong.

"Don't be dramatic." Blake sighed as she stood to her feet and stretched her arms upwards, causing her joints to pop in places. She was glad to feel that nothing pulled, not the skin or the muscles.

"Dramatic? You almost ripped the mast off." He said.

"I was standing on the mast, no I didn't." Blake rolled her eyes.

"Yes you did."

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did."

"I did not." Blake sighed. "The hurricane was behind the ship."

"Irrelevant."

"Is not."

"Do you have any idea how much the ship rocked? It almost capsized." Jack believed.

"You're just making up issues now." Blake sighed and Jack looked insulted. She rolled her eyes before she walked forward to his table.

"You should be apologising for making me exerting myself and thanking me for helping despite my condition." She pointed out.

Jack turned his gaze down to his charts stubbornly, muttering under his breath. She smirked slightly before she looked down at the papers, examining them.

"So while watching me sleep, have you done anything productive?" Jack looked up at her with his eyes narrowed.

"Who said I was watching you sleep?" He said.

"You weren't?" She rose an eyebrow at him and Jack pulled a curious face.

"No…"

Blake gave him a look, smirking slightly, before he leaned forward. "You should be honoured." Was his confession. Blake couldn't help but smirk and chuckle slightly.

"Oh I am, Captain Jack Sparrow notices good when he sees it." She grinned and Jack smiled back before he paused and looked at her annoyed. She grinned, having complimented herself and not him.

"Hard not to when it's said to be a beauty beyond all." He muttered.

Blake rolled her eyes. "That's the worst rumour there is." She said.

"Speaking of rumours, did yours pan out, or did you almost crush us with a storm for no reason?" Jack questioned.

She shot him a look before leaning on the desk. "I found what I was looking for, which means we're one step closer to possibly finding where Jones hid his key." She said. "I'd like to say it's on the _Dutchman_ but if it is, then it's where he can keep an eye on it." She confessed. "Last time I saw it he had it on him, what I've found should, maybe, be able to confirm it. If not, it'll definitely tell you what you're looking for."

"I know what I'm looking for, I'm looking for a key."

"A key you don't even know the shape or size of." She reminded him.

"Fine, where is this informant?" Jack asked.

"Locked in a prison." She nodded.

Jack stared at her for a moment.

"A Turkish Prison to be exact." She added.

"So, first, you want to sneak onto a navy ship and almost sink my _Pearl_, and now you're telling me we have to break into a prison?" Jack questioned.

"Breaking into a prison is a lot easier than sneaking onto a ship." Blake shrugged.

Jack stared at her with his mouth open and his eyes narrowed. He looked like he was seriously contemplating whether she was insane or not.

Blake just waited.

"How is a prison easier to break into?"

"First of all it's a prison on the edge of the ocean," she admitted as she pulled his world map out from under all his papers and pointed to a spot on it. "Second, I know the entire inside structure perfectly."

"How?"

"I was held prisoner there for a while once." She shrugged casually. "It's actually not that hard to get in. The main reason being, they probably wont recognise your face."

"You want me to walk in the front door?" He demanded.

"You can use the back if you'd like." She shrugged. "You're being boringly boring lately… being all so careful, what's wrong with you?"

"Sorry if I didn't want to lose me ship." He smiled.

"Always about the ship, well if we don't break into the prison, you just might lose the ship, as well as your freedom. And if we don't go, I'm going to be very pissed off that I got shot so many times at once, almost got captured and had to create a hurricane, all for no reason." Jack stared at her and she rose an eyebrow at him.

"Fine." He agreed and she grinned.

"And come on, breaking into a prison can't be any worse than taking on cursed pirates." She confessed.

"Touché." He agreed nodding.

"Now, I'm hungry." She muttered. "Is there any food in the kitchens?"

"I suppose all that weather creating does work up an appetite." Jack mumbled, "Can you do that often?" He wondered as she moved for the door. Jack quickly got up from his seat to follow.

"You mean without passing out?" She asked.

"Regardless."

"Well, no, because if I pass out, I have to wait to rejuvenate." She said as she opened the door.

She came to a complete halt as the two found the entire crew outside the door.

Blake and Jack looked at them all surprised and confused, both sharing a look.

"Mr. Gibbs?" Blake questioned, "Why is the entire crew outside the captain's cabin ears dropping?"

"Uh, they were worried Miss Blake." Mr. Gibbs confessed as he was standing slightly to the side in front of everyone else.

"About?"

"About you ma'am." Gibbs said.

"Me?" She asked surprised. Jack looked his crew over with suspicious eyes.

"You collapsed Ma'am." A man reminded her.

"Seemed rather worse for wear…" Another agreed with a nod.

"I suppose being up all night, getting captured and then battling off a navy ship wore me out a bit." She offered nodding. "Might have over exerted myself."

"You were bleeding." Marty said and many nodded.

"You try escaping red coat without a single injury." She confessed. "Am I being interrogated right now?" she demanded.

Everyone shook their heads.

"Then back to your posts! The lot of ya!" Jack shouted. "And don't let me catch any of you hanging outside this door again."

Everyone jumped and suddenly started running around the ship. Gibbs took a step closer.

"So, you're all right Miss Blake?"

"Perfectly healthy, though I could do with some food and a new shirt." She admitted, her's was slightly tattered.

"Right away." Gibbs nodded before he moved to shout orders, getting two men to do as she asked.

"And we need to figure out how we're going to escape this prison." She admitted to Jack.

"Escape? We need to get in first." He reminded her.

"Getting out's harder." She confessed as she walked onto the deck and someone hurried towards her with a bowl of food.

"Thank you!" She grinned before putting a spoonful in her mouth. "You need to remember, prisons are made to hold people in, not so much out." She said as she turned back to Jack.

"How'd you get out last time?" Jack asked her.

"Jack, I work with extremities, if you don't want Jones to know what you're after, you need to be discrete. I cannot be discrete. I thought you'd have noticed by now."

Jack watched her before he inched forwards. "How'd you do it though?"

"I broke a part of the cliff the building stood on." She nodded. Jack rose an eyebrow. "Broke the wall down." She shrugged innocently.

"Right well, if I'm going, so are you."

"Why am I not surprised." She rolled her eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

The rigging shook, the ropes quivering as the wind blew at the sails of the ship. Thunder like noises joined the wind, sounding through the dark night.

"Fifty men on a dead man's chest. A yo ho, ho and a bottle of rum." Gibbs sang as he walked along the quiet, empty deck of the _Black Pearl_. Above the sky was dark and the moon was shining down in between the cloud covered sky. The wind caused the rigging and black sails to creak, giving an eery look over the ship to join the mist surrounding it.

"Drink and the devil had done for the rest. A yo ho, ho and a bottle of rum." Gibbs cackled manically as he rose the bottle in his hands to his lips, the rum swishing forwards for him to drink.

The bottle was immediately yanked from Gibbs' mouth as a bell sounded. He looked around, his eyes narrow before there was the caw of a crow. Gibbs bent his had back and his eyes caught sight of crows through the mist as they flew over head towards the land in the distance.

Black birds flew at a quick pace, covering the sky around the Turkish Prison. The prison sat on a rock tower, pointing towards the sky and surrounded by water, the waves crashing up against the harsh rocks and reaching for the windows within the structure. The prison, sitting isolated and by itself, was connected to the main island by a long bridge. Cages were strung from wall to wall and hung over the cavernous drop to the rocks below, alongside the bridge. Each was filled with bodies, bodies with waxy skin that clung to the bones. A line of prisoners were following a guard across the bridge, their hands in cuffs and chained together as they walked single file, their heads bowed. The man at the back was whimpering and cowering, refusing to go. His arms were taken by soldiers and he was being dragged across the bridge. His wrists and ankles were raw from the iron manacles he'd had over them, causing blood to cover his skin. His heels bled from being dragged on the floor. He stared at the prisoners, forced to be caged up outside as the crows flew all around them. One man, still alive and tied up within the cage screamed as a crow landed on his bars. He stared at it wide eyed before the crow leaned in and plucked his eye right from its socket.

The man being dragged screamed as well as the birds picked and ate at the rotting meat of the dying, caged, prisoners. Behind him, and his clear destination, was a set of large black doors, open and waiting for him to enter. He screamed and cried out in fear and agony, but no one addressed him. His cries joined the ringing of the bells and caws of the crows that filled the night air.

The man being dragged continued to scream, as those standing on either side of the doors began to close them. His cries were cut off as he passed through the doors and they clanged shut.

At the base of the cliff a ways from the prison, by waters that crashed against the rocks, several workers with a wagon were throwing wooden caskets into the waters. The corpses of those who had perished in the prison contained within the wood. Working in pairs the men deposited the dead. The caskets plunged into the water, rising back to the top as they were rocked between the rocks before being pulled away by the tide. The waves washed up and crashed against the rock wall with every casket that joined its vastness.

Sailing across the surface of the water, the caskets created a trail, breadcrumbs lined up as they left the rock wall and the prison behind. Further out to sea the water's calmed down and lapped smoothly against the wooden coffins.

Smelling what was inside, a crow landed on one of the caskets and began to peck the wood to find an opening. It pecked over and over, wanting to break through, before suddenly a gunshot sounded and the bird went flying into the air, only to crash into the waters beside the casket.

A hole had been blown through the wood of the casket before a wrist and hand poked out of the hole, a pistol, smoking at the barrel, was in its grasp. The pistol rotated, pointing across the ocean waters, as if checking for any other signs of nearby life. After a moment the hand was drawn back in, only for the wood to all be pushed, splintered and broken as Jack Sparrow sat up, exposing his entire torso from the coffin. He looked around the ocean, his usual furrowed eyebrows taking in his surroundings.

Jack pushed the wood at his front some more, putting his pistol down beside him before he reached into the casket and poked around. He pulled his hat from beside him, poking out the middle from where it had caved in, and placed it on his head. He looked down at the body he sat on before he pushed his lips and sighed slightly.

"Sorry Mate." Jack reached in and a crack sounded before he pulled the skeleton's leg from the casket. "Mind if we make a little side trip?" he asked as he used the leg to row across the water. Sitting a little ways from him was the outline of the _Pearl_, shrouded in mist still as the full moon shone through the cloud. "Didn't think so." he muttered when no answer came.

Gibbs leaned down at the gap in the railing where the ladder was carved into the ship's side, willing to offer a hand. The skeleton leg was slapped into his fingers instead as Jack's hands appeared at the railing. Gibbs looked at it slightly surprised while Jack pulled himself onto the deck.

"Not quite according to plan." Gibbs admitted, looking over the skeleton foot as Cotton draped Jack's coat over his shoulders.

"Complications arose, ensued, were overcome." Jack answered as he walked away from his First Mate. Gibbs handed the leg to Cotton and hastily followed Jack.

"Where's Miss Blake?" Gibbs asked.

There was an explosion and everyone jumped, turning to see a cloud of fire and smoke erupting from the building a little ways off at the prison. Everyone stared at it as the explosion lit up the night sky. Something went shooting out of the building before plummeting down towards the ocean. Everyone stared confused as fires now licked at the building and a bell rang furiously. Shouts joined the noise as everyone began to converge on the fires.

"Something tells me she's fine." Jack muttered.

Blake's head poked out of the ocean, shaking it to remove the water drops from her eyelashes. She looked back up at the towering rock prison. She huffed, blowing a drop of water from her nose as she did.

"Good job Blake." She grumbled to herself. "That was so discrete." She watched the fires licking at the now broken brick wall before she turned and ducked back below the waters. Hopefully the prison just blamed it on an accident, she had after all blown up the powder magazine. Who ever decided to put it at the outer wall hadn't been thinking things through very clearly.

Blake swam towards the _Pearl_, hiding amongst the mist and darkness before she reached the edge of it. She reached up and grabbed the ladder, leaving herself out of the water as many peered over the railing, having spotted her. She climbed up towards the gap in the railing and one crew member offered her a hand, pulling her up.

"Miss Blake, you all right?" Gibbs asked as she shook her head, brushing her hands down her black shirt, vest and deep brown breeches. Her swords were still at her waist where they always were, two as usual, her gun was strapped to her leather clad thigh and her boots, though currently filled with water, rose to her knees.

"I'll live." She grumbled before she turned to Jack. He smiled, clearly worried. "And you! What the hell was that?! You left me completely surrounded by soldiers. Were you going to leave me in there by myself!?"

He grinned innocently at her. "I knew you'd be fine." He said. "You're more resilient than I am."

"You don't leave a man behind!" She snapped.

"You're not a man."

"Don't test me Sparrow! Or next time it'll be your powder magazine I explode." She warned pointing back at the burning prison. The crew all glanced around at one another, none of them felt comfortable when Blake was angry.

"You could have climbed in a coffin with me." Jack shrugged smirking. "You're the one who refused, that's why you got caught."

She rolled her eyes at him, yeah, lie on a skeleton. She might have been a pirate but she at least had a bit of class. She reached to squeeze the water from her hair. "You're walking on thin ice Mr. Sparrow. You're just lucky it wasn't a waste of time!" She said as she began to move across the deck.

Gibbs looked from her to Jack as the captain followed the half-goddess, an excited gleam in his eyes.

"You got what you went in there for then?" He asked, excited to see the results.

"Mm-hmm." Jack turned to him as he reached to his belt and pulled out a piece of cloth, waving it in front of Gibbs to show him. Blake stopped as Jack turned and both were forced to come to halt. The majority of the crew stood before them, disappointed expressions on their faces and their arms crossed. Blake rose an eyebrow as Gibbs sighed and Jack looked at his crew confused, his eyes narrowed slightly.

"Captain, I think the crew — meaning me as well — were expecting something a bit more…" He trailed off trying to think of the right word as he waved his hands slightly. "Shiny." He went with as Cotton stood on Blake's other side.

Jack looked at Blake who rose an eyebrow at him, waiting for an explanation. This was his mess.

"What with the Isla de Muerta going all pear-shaped, reclaimed by the sea and the treasure with it," Gibbs reminded Jack.

"And the Royal Navy chasing us all around the Atlantic." Leech reminded Jack.

"And the hurricane." Marty added to which the crew murmured and nodded in agreement.

Blake rolled her lips together and Jack shot her a look saying now it was her mess. She grinned guiltily at him.

"It's not like the hurricane was much worse than a usual storm." She shrugged. "What kind of whimsy pirates are you?"

They all glanced at one another.

"All in all, it's been some times since we've done a speck of honest piratin'," Gibbs concluded. Jack eyed his crew as Gibbs grinned beside him. He raised one eyebrow before turning to Gibbs.

"Shiny?" He said to Gibbs next to him.

"Aye. Shiny." Gibbs nodded.

"Glad to see you're all more obsessed with gold than with adventure." Blake sighed. "I miss my crew." She muttered and Jack turned to look at her offended. He looked at everyone else as they were staring at him with expectation.

"Is that how you're all feeling?" Jack asked his crew, they shared a wavering look. "That dear ol' Jack is not serving your best interest as Captain?" There was an awkward silence as the crew did not know what to say next. Leech glanced to his side.

"Ark! Walk the plank!" Cotton's parrot squawked. Jack immediately pulled his pistol from his belt, pointing it in front of Blake's nose as Cotton covered its mouth.

"What did the bird say!?" Jack demanded as Blake blinked at the pistol.

"Do not blame the bird." Leech said. "Show us, what is on that piece of cloth." He said and everyone followed his pointed look to Jack's hand. Jack gave him a disagreeable look, his pistol still pointed at the bird before Barbossa's monkey, Jack, dropped down in front of the Captain screeching.

The monkey was a skeleton and rotting flesh as it had not given any blood to the Aztec gold and was still cursed.

Everyone jumped at its sudden appearance and let out a yelp, Jack's being the loudest. Jack attempted to shoot the monkey but had wet powder, disallowing the shot to ring out. He looked at it annoyed as the monkey stole the cloth from Jack and ran along the deck with it. Jack quickly grabbed a pistol and everyone moved from his way as he aimed and shot the undead monkey.

"You know that don't do no good." Gibbs sighed. Jack often shot the little creature to vent some anger. The monkey dropped the cloth and went running off, screeching. Marty jumped down from his seat on the mast and ran towards the cloth, now lying on the deck.

"Does me." Jack admitted.

"Why is that thing hanging around anyway?" Blake muttered. She never liked the monkey.

Marty looked over the cloth, unrolling it and then up at the crew with confusion.

"It's a key." He announced as a few others working on the deck also stopped to listen.

"No. Much more better." Jack ran towards Marty and took the cloth turning it to show everyone. "It is a _drawing_ of a key." Everyone looked at it confused as Jack watched their expressions falter, Gibbs walked towards him, his forehead furrowed.

Jack looked at them all from the lack of reaction. "Gentlemen, what do keys do?" Jack wondered.

"Keys… unlock, things?" Leech asked unsurely.

"And whatever this key unlocks, inside there's something valuable." Gibbs grinned, catching on to Jack's thinking as he rubbed his fingers together. "So, we're setting out to find what ever this key unlocks!" He guessed grinning.

"No." Jack said enthusiastically, pointing at his first mate, who's smile vanished in confusion as he nodded. Jack walked towards Gibbs as Blake leaned on the mast watching the confrontation. "If we don't have the key, we can't open whatever it is we don't have that it unlocks. So what purpose would be served in finding whatever need be unlocked, which we don't have, without first having found the key what unlocks it?" Jack questioned. Everyone had to replay his words to understand his meaning as he twisted his explanation. Gibbs understood first as Blake rolled her eyes.

"So, we're going after this key!" Gibbs guessed again, a smile on his face.

Jack gave him a look. "You're making no sense at all." Gibbs expression vanished as he stared at Jack unsurely. "Any more questions?" Jack asked his crew.

"So…" Everyone turned to Marty standing behind the captain. "Do we have a heading?" Marty wondered.

"Ah." Jack smiled, "A heading." He reached for his waist where his compass hung, opening it.

Blake rose an eyebrow, why did he insist on using the compass when it didn't work? He didn't know what he wanted.

The compass sat in his palm and he watched the needle spin, it moved to point in all different directions, not setting on one direction. Jack raised his other hand, pointing his finger as it followed the needle.

"Set sail… in a… general…" He continued to move his finger as he watched the compass. He pointed left and then moved his finger again. "That way direction." He pointed to his right. The crew all looked towards it.

"Cap'n?" Gibbs asked as Jack snapped his compass closed, turning to him.

"Go on, snap to and make sail. You know how it works." Jack said as he moved through the crowd he'd gained and towards his cabin. "Oi, oi! Oi!" he shooed them all from his path.

Gibbs turned to Blake.

"What?"

"You're asking me?" She returned before she followed the captain.

Gibbs and Marty moved to the railing and looked out over the waters to which Jack had pointed. There was nothing there and no sign of what could be in their direction.

"Have you noticed lately, the captain seems to be acting a bit strange…" Gibbs looked down at Marty. "er." He added with a shrug.

"Setting sail without knowing his own heading." Gibbs nodded. "Something's got Jack vexed. You make my words, what's bodes ill for Jack Sparrow, bodes ill for us all."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

Blake closed the door of the captain's cabin behind her as Jack had his jacket draped over the hat stand and his hat on the globe of the world.

"Right, so you now know what you're looking for." She smirked. "You're still refusing to tell the crew what's going on." She muttered as Jack moved to a shelf, grabbing a bottle of rum, and moved to sit at his desk. "Now what are you going to do?"

"Well, unlike what you seemed to believe, we didn't discover where the key was." Jack grumbled as Blake moved to light the candles and lamps in the room, bringing some light.

"But you know what you're looking for." She said as she blew out a match and pointed to the key on the cloth. It had two prongs and a large ring at the base. "It's a lot easier to ask people what you want, when you can show them what it looks like. Even better, you don't have to describe it by telling them it's the key to Davy Jones' Dead Man's chest."

Jack glanced at her as he was looking over his maps. She walked forwards and sat on the edge of the desk.

"Well, you're the one with all the answers." He muttered as he waited.

"You're the one with a compass that's supposed to tell you where to go." She said, tapping it. Jack had placed the compass on the table. Jack looked at her annoyed as she had a smug look on her face.

Jack reached across his desk and grabbed a pair of scissors, he opened the compass and looked at it as the arrow set on a point. Blake rose an eyebrow as he began to chart the map, he looked at the compass and the needle moved. Annoyed, he took a drink and began to do it again.

Blake stood and moved to the chair on the otherwise of the desk, sitting herself down opposite Jack. He charted many different courses and the compass continued to change direction every time he touched it.

"Jack you've been doing this for months, you haven't had a heading, nor have you had any idea on where you're going, doubting that's gonna change." She said as he continued to try.

"I need two things, and I don't know which I should get first."

"Well, if we could find out where the key was…"

"Maybe you should go aboard the _Dutchman_ and find out, you don't have a deal, you can get off it again." Jack said smiling in his annoyance.

"We both know that the second I step on that boat, I'm gone forever. So that wouldn't benefit either of us, you want info, you need to send someone else to do that." She admitted. "Unfortunately you refuse to tell anyone that you're marked and so that's going to be difficult." She grinned at him.

Jack glared at her.

"So, it seems we're at a standstill." She sighed.

Jack ignored her and began to chart the map again, before he paused and tapped the compass. The compass' arrow moved slightly before completely changing to point in the opposite direction.

Jack dropped the scissors in annoyance, slumping. He reached for the bottle of rum by him, only to find it lighter than necessary. He peered down the neck of the bottle before tipping it and a few drops fell out.

"Why is the rum, always gone?" He questioned annoyed. Blake rolled her eyes as the boat rocked from side to side, creaking.

"I wonder." She mumbled as Jack stood up and his staggered considerably to the side as the ship rocked that way.

"Oh." Jack grabbed his hat and placed it on his head. "That's why." He realised, grabbing his jacket also.

Blake watched him walk out before she rolled her eyes. "Men." She whispered before she got up and sat in his seat behind the desk, looking over his charts.

Jack moved across the deck and down to the cargo. He passed the bay full of hammocks containing his crew, snoring in their sleep, and looked them over for a second, raising the lantern in his hand.

"As you were gents." He allowed and continued down to the next level, the cargo bay. There was a few goats and other cargo stored there as Jack moved to a locked door. He put the keys into the lock with a lot of jingling and moved inside. The door closed behind him as he looked around the level, it was considerably damp and dark within the room as Jack hung the keys on a hook on a post and moved through it. There were bottle shelves on his left and he raised the lamp upon seeing crustaceans in one of the gaps. They all crawled into their shells and Jack raised the lantern to look at them, a little horror in his face. Most of the shelves were empty.

Jack looked down and noticed a bottle along the base.

"Ah." he pulled the bottle out and tipped it only to have sand fall out. He looked at it annoyed.

"Times run out Jack." Jack dropped the bottle and spun around, the bottle smashed into pieces on the wooden floor. Jack rose the lamp before he moved through the load, past pillars with rope hanging on them, until he saw a figure in the far corner of the room, sitting on the crates. Jack slowly walked towards it, his eyes narrowed to try and get a better look. The person was dripping with water and covered in barnacles.

"Bootstrap?" he realised, "Bill Turner?" the light shone over Bill's face as he turned to the captain, covered in water. His skin sagged slightly from too much liquid, a few bugs crawled along his cheek and up into his beanie. A starfish was on the right side of his face along with a little coral.

"You look good Jack." Water fell from the man's mouth as he spoke. Jack cocked his head to the side, his mouth wide open at the sight before him.

He stood up straight. "Is this a dream?" He asked.

"No." Bill shook his head.

"I thought not." Jack put the lantern on a barrel. "If it were there'd be rum." Bill raised his hand, a bottle within it. His arm cracked and popped as he raised it. Jack looked at the bottle hesitantly before he took the bottom. He struggled a little but if eventually broke away from Bill's hand, dirt and sand doing the same as if he hadn't let go of the bottle for years.

"You go the _Pearl_ back I see." Bill said looking around.

"I had some help retrieving the _Pearl_ by the way." Jack said as he dusted the top of the bottle with his hands and blew on it. "Your son." Jack grinned as he pointed at the man.

"William." Jack took a swing of the rum. "He ended up a pirate after all." Bill muttered.

"And to what do I owe the pleasure of your carbuncle?" Jack wondered.

Bill was silent for a moment, staring at Jack.

"He sent me." Bill answered simply. Jack's eyebrows furrowed. "Davy Jones."

"Ah…" he breathed before he managed to smile slightly. "So it's you, then. He shanghaied you into service, eh?" Jack asked sitting down, raising his leg onto a crate opposite him.

"I chose it." Bill admitted looking at him. Jack looked away, not at all impressed before movement caught his eye and he looked at one of the barrels. "I'm sorry for the part I played in the mutinying against you, Jack." A small crab ran across the barrel beside Bill and the man quickly moved his hand, covered in slime, and trapped the crustacean. Jack watched as Bill grabbed the wriggling crustacean and moved it to his lips. "I stood up for you. Everything went wrong after that." Jack flipped his tongue and Bill put the crab into his mouth, the crushing of the shell and its bones sounding in the dark room from his teeth. "They strapped me to a cannon, I ended up on the bottom of the ocean. The weight of the water crushing down on me." Jack took another drink. "Unable to move. Unable to die Jack." Bill muttered with a slight nod. "And I thought that even the tiniest hope of escaping this fate, I would take it. I would trade anything for it." Bill explained. Jack handed him the bottle of rum and the man took it gladly. He took a swig.

"It's funny what a man will do to forestall his final judgement." Jack got up and walked around the post, but Bill moved quickly, moving around the other side of the pillar to halt Jack in his steps as he stood before him, water still dripping down his face, hair and clothes.

"You made a deal with him too Jack." Bill reminded him. "He raised the _Pearl_ from the depths for you. Thirteen years you've been captain." Bill advanced on Jack who stepped backwards.

"Technically—" Jack began.

"Jack. You wont be able to talk your way out of this." Bill shook his head, interrupting him. "The terms what apply to me, apply to you as well. One soul, bound to crew a hundred years upon a ship." Bill explained.

"Yes well the _Flying __Dutchman_ already had a captain so there's really no—"

"Then it's the locker for you!" Bill cut him off. Jack's expression faltered and he looked worried. "Jones' terrible leviathan will find you, and drag the _Pearl_ back to the depths and you along with it." Bill threatened. Jack bent backwards as Bill had continued to lean forwards.

"Any idea when Jones might release said terrible beastie?" Jack wondered cautiously.

"I already told you Jack." Bill shook his head, taking a few steps back for Jack to straighten up. "You're time is up. It comes now." He grabbed Jack's hand and slapped his hand over Jack's before closing the Captain's fingers. "Drawn with ravenous hunger to the man what be-has, the black spot." Jack raised and opened his hand while Bootstrap moved to the wall. A black spot appeared on Jack's palm, covering the wide space as Bootstrap walked into the wall and vanished.

Jack gapped at the spot, his mouth open and looked to Bill to continue bargaining, but he'd already left. Jack closed his hand and thought, glancing at his hand, before he ran from the room.

"On deck, all hands! Make fast the bunt gasket!" Jack ran through the water of the bottom floor and up the steps, past the cargo hold and to where his crew was sleeping. "On deck! Scurry!" the men began to wake up "Scurry! I want movement!" Jack shouted as Gibbs opened his eyes and shook his head confused "Move it! I want movement!" Jack shouted before he ran up to the deck.

"Mr. Skinner, pick it up!" the men rushed to dress themselves and carry out the orders.

Blake looked up from her place at the desk as people were shouting and moving on deck in a sudden hurry. She got up and moved out of the captain's cabin to see everyone running around.

"All on deck! Run! And keep running!" Jack grabbed a piece of cloth from a man who ran by him and began to wrap it around his hand as he stood behind the mast. "Run as if the devil himself and itself is upon us!" Jack shouted.

Blake stared at him.

"What the hell is going on?" She demanded.

"Run!" Jack shouted at her and she looked at him confused.

"Why?" She demanded before she noticed him wrapping a piece of cloth around his hand.

Gibbs moved after them, looking rather out of it as he was missing his blue vest. "Do we have a heading?" he asked.

"Ah!" Jack jumped. "Ohh! Run! Land." Jack turned around the mast and Gibbs went to followed but Jack wasn't there. He waited and his captain popped up from hiding behind the mast. Jack jumped again and Gibbs mirrored him.

"Which port?" Gibbs asked after getting over his fright.

"I didn't say port, I said land. Any land." Jack said. At that moment the monkey swung by and grabbed Jack's hat from his head. Jack gasped and watched the monkey crawl on the rigging. It screeched at Jack, who hissed back before the tricornered hat was thrown into the water below.

Everyone ran to the railing, looking down at it.

"Jack's hat!" Gibbs screamed. "Bring her about!" he shouted, turning to the one at the helm.

"No! No! Leave it!" everyone froze and stared at their captain, too shocked to move. Blake was gapping at him, still standing by the cabin door in complete confusion. "Run." Jack said again before he turned and ran along the deck toward's Blake.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" She demanded as Gibbs looked at the crew, and they all stared at him unsurely.

"Back to your stations! The lot of ya!" Gibbs shouted and everyone began to move, Cotton's parrot flapping its wings, before the First Mate looking around for the captain. He looked at Blake who had her forehead furrowed and her mouth open slightly. She nodded her head and both of them moved, turning to see Jack standing under the stairs against the wall beside the captain's cabin doors.

"Jack?"

"Shh." Jack said, still standing straight and silent. Gibbs moved closer, glancing at the crew running around.

"For the love of mother and child Jack," Gibbs glanced around them. "What's coming after us?"

Jack glanced at him. "Nothing." He said. He gave Gibbs a look but didn't move. Blake scoffed before she grabbed Jack's hand and yanked him into the cabin. She closed the doors behind them before turning to Jack, opening her mouth but he had moved and was now behind the desk.

"For christ sake Jack." She said as she moved around and kneeled beside him. He stared at her. "You were just in here annoyed at your compass and now you're running from the ocean." She said before her expression dropped. A shiver shot through her, deep within her core and she glanced down. She looked at his bandaged hand again and then at his face. He was watching her before she held her hand out to him. He glanced at it a few times and she narrowed her eyes. He gave her his left hand and she pushed on the wrap wrapped around it, sliding it upwards ever so slightly.

She saw the shrivelled blackness and her eyes went from his palm to his face.

"We're going to need to move a lot faster." She said, pulling the cloth back into place before she got up.

"I thought you said it couldn't get you?" He said peeking over the desk.

"It's not me it's after. And besides, it needs to be below us, I can't stop it before hand." She said before she moved for the door.

Blake moved out onto the deck and up the stairs to helm.

"I'm taking the helm." She said to Cotton and he released it like it had burned him. Blake turned to the ship, looking through the darkness. She looked up at the sails before they expanded and the ship moved some more.

She couldn't remember the last time she'd run from the kraken… she didn't miss the feeling.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

It wasn't until daylight that the _Pearl _had reached any type of land. Blake had everyone moving around in preparation for them all to disembark the boat into the longboats, anchoring the ship, but Jack ordered otherwise. He wanted the boat safe.

"You want to what?!" Blake demanded after he spoke.

"I only just got this ship back, I will not let it get eaten." He said as he leaned in her face, his voice low.

And so half of the crew disembarked the ship while the other steered and tied up the sails. The _Black Pearl_ was moved across the water, through the shallows and was pulled right up onto the beach. It was a struggle to do so and everyone on board was hanging on as the boat was tipped to the side due to the draft. It was still in the shallows of the water, and wasn't sliding any further onto the beach.

"Blake!" Jack ordered, turning to her seriously. She shot him a glare but with a movement of her hand the water rose and pushed the ship that last bit onto the sand.

"This is madness!" She snapped at him. Jack simply shrugged. The longboats were all pulled back onto the ship and everyone was looking around the island, they then all turned to Jack. Jack looked at them all and Blake crossed her arms and did the same.

"Now what?" She asked.

Jack looked around, his eyes narrowed for a moment. "Disembark! Find provisions." He said and everyone looked confused. "Now!" Jack snapped and everyone began to move.

"You're being ridiculous."

"You want to be eaten?" He muttered.

"Jack, this is only a temporary solution." She said as everyone was climbing down the ropes that had tied the boat to the shore.

"Exactly, gives me time to work out my next move." He grinned.

"I hope you realise that if you don't give your crew some sort of explanation, they might just take your ship and leave you. This right here is the easiest marooning technique I've seen." Blake warned before she moved to the railing and jumped off the boat.

Jack looked at her suspiciously and then looked at everyone else as they disembarked.

Blake landed feet first on the sand, a bend in her knees, before she stood up and looked around. The men were walking in groups into the trees, Gibbs barking orders and many whispering and muttering to themselves. She looked around the island… from this side it at least looked deserted, unfortunately she knew better than to think it was.

Jack was standing at the back of the tipped ship, looking over the ocean's behind them as Blake placed her hands on her hips. She walked away from the ship and turned around to look at him. She blocked the sun from her face, her hand above her eyes. "Are you going to stay there or…?" she asked and Jack glanced down at her.

Both of their heads snapped towards the trees however as they heard shouts and the sounds of swords being drawn. Blake instantly drew her sword and moved for the trees, only to come to a halt. Several people had appeared at the edge of the trees. They were all dark skinned, wearing rather little clothing, had their skin pieced by bones in several places and were covered in paint.

Blake looked them all over as she backed away from them, the natives moving out after her before her eyes widened.

"Oh no…" She whispered. "Jack!" she shouted over her shoulder, not taking her eyes of the natives as she had her sword pointed at them.

Her shout however had drawn their attention to Jack as he moved and stood on the railing of the ship. He had grabbed a rope and came swinging down only to come to a short stop as he saw the natives, their spears in hands and pointed at Blake before him.

"Oh bugger." He muttered.

The natives were all looking at him and then at each other. They then began to speak, it wasn't in english and they all bowed their heads. Blake blinked at them in surprise as Jack smiled worryingly. He moved forwards and grabbed Blake's hand, standing behind her slightly.

"You had to pick any land didn't you, you could have been specific you know." She grumbled. "But no, instead we land on an island of cannibals!"

Jack looked at her confused. "How do you know that?"

"I've been alive for a long time, I know things!" She snapped before she turned to them. She then looked confused and glanced back at him. "How do _you_ know?"

"I… might've, been here before." He muttered and they turned back to the tribe as they began to kneeled before them. One looked at them and spoke in their native language, the rest all staring at them.

"Don't suppose we can run…" Jack muttered.

"Don't suppose you've noticed that they've likely caught your crew and we need them to get the ship off the shore, which you insisted on doing." She snapped back.

The tribe spoke some more.

"Oh, no thank you…" Jack grinned at them in return, answering the natives, before he spoke back in their same language.

"I didn't think I'd see the day you refused to be king of something." Blake confessed, being able to understand the language just as Jack could.

"You clearly don't know what it entails." Jack muttered.

The tribe were all yapping at him now, nodding their heads and tapping the base of their spears lightly before they stood up and began to move. They surrounded the two and began to nudge and push on Jack, moving him towards the trees. Blake they did the same, shoving her and moving her, grabbing her arms and removing her sword from her grasp.

"Hey! No!" She complained and she turned to reach for her sword only to then be jabbed for fighting back. She felt the cut and hissed before there was a sting in her neck.

She stopped for a moment before her leg's collapsed from under her. She fell to her knees, blinking as her head began to get dizzy. She reached for her neck and felt the fuzz of cut grass attached to a sharp needle. She pulled it out and looked at it as it fell from her fingers. She fell onto one hand. A knock out toxin? It was making her body numb and her head hazy. She felt arms grabbing her and she was lifted off the sand. The tribe were still pushing Jack through the trees and they carried Blake, throwing her over one of the man's shoulders.

Blake pushed against the toxin, trying to stay awake. They moved over trees, up hills and across bridges, getting away from the sea and up to higher land. Blake smelt smoke, spice, something cooking as they exited a bunch of trees and reached a village. The houses were made from dried grass, leaves, vines and wood. Women were little and they had carved and made bowls. Fruits were bountiful as the men moved through the village. More of the village sat on the other side of a bridge, slung across cavernous drops. Jack was pushed to the front as the tribe gathered around. There was a throne at one end, standing behind Jack, while his crew were all pushed to their knees. Not everyone was awake however, some were lying limp on the floor, clearly having been given the toxin just like Blake had.

"Jack!" Gibbs said. "What's going on?" Jack hadn't been captured, nor had he been drugged.

One of tribal men moved forwards and spoke to Jack, bowing his head. Jack turned to look at the chair behind him. He spoke back in the same language and everyone looked around him confused.

Blake was put down and she tumbled over to slump to the floor. She might not have been knocked out, but every limp felt heavy to move.

"Miss. Blake? Are ye alright?" one of the crew members asked.

"Hazy." She muttered.

Jack was still arguing with the tribal members.

"Where are we?" Another asked.

"Pelegostos." Blake responded. One of the men went to move to help her off the dirt, but was instantly stopped by a spear in his face.

Jack spoke to the Pelegostos and they all reacted, banging their spears angrily and Jack flinched. He responded quickly and they all cheered.

"What's going on?" Gibbs questioned.

"The Pelegostos have made Jack their chief." Blake muttered as she took a deep breath. The crew all looked surprised. "But he offered for them to let us all go and they refused…"

"But he's the chief?" Marty muttered.

Blake took a breath and rolled herself over so she could see the Pelegostos and Jack.

The Pelegostos were talking to Jack and he looked more and more worried, forcing a smile on his face.

"They plan on freeing him." She muttered.

"From what?"

Blake sighed in annoyance. "They think he's a god…" She confessed as she began to sit herself up. "They're forcing him to stay here so that they can do their duty to him."

"How are they going to free him?" Everyone watched as the Pelegostos were now pointing to them as the crew and Jack glanced between them.

"What are they saying?" Marty asked Blake.

"They think we're keeping him bound in human form and want to get rid of us…" She muttered and she turned to glare at Jack. He was looking unsure and then he responded.

Everyone watched as the pelegostos shared a look before they nodded in agreement and Jack smiled genuinely for a moment.

He spoke to them and the pelegostos were silent before one responded. Jack paused and then he shrugged a response.

One tribe member turned to the other's and shouted and they all cheered. Jack stared at them and then to his crew members.

"You ignorant idiot!" Blake puffed before they were being hoisted off the ground and pushed together. The Pelegostos began to bind the entire crew into several groups while other's began to run off.

"What's going on?" Gibbs demanded.

"He made them agree that he would need a sacrifice when he was freed and so we should live. He told them to lock us up but they don't have prisons. He told them to make some so they're now preparing a feast." Blake described as her hands were tied together tightly along with everyone else's.

"Why?" Leech questioned as he was bound with some others.

"Because, they're going to build the cages out of our bones." Blake said and everyone looked worried.

"You said they were going to spare us?" Marty said worried.

"Yeah but not all of us apparently." Blake grumbled.

"Why doesn't he do something?" Gibbs muttered.

"Because if he doesn't act like a chief, they'll likely kill all of us." She confessed. "If we don't do something they're going to kill him anyway."

"Why?"

"In order to free the god from its human bones, they plan on eating the prison. They basically plan to eat Jack." She said as she watched Jack being shooed to the throne.

"Are you sure?" Gibbs asked.

"I know a lot of languages, the Pelegostos, happens to be one of them." She confessed. Her head had cleared now as the toxins had been flushed from her body and she looked around the village.

"We need to get out of here." Gibbs muttered.

"Yeah, you think we can fight off all these tribes people? Given that our weapons are gone?" Blake reminded him. She'd noticed her swords and pistol had been removed when they'd thrown her to the floor. The haziness of the toxin had dulled her sensitivity to them removing them though.

The crew all looked around at the tribe, there was no way they could fight off the spears and toxins of everything. Blake had already tasted a toxin, it wasn't like a bullet and if she did do something to free them all, and got hit, they'd be in even more trouble.

"Of all the islands we had to land on." She complained as many of the tribe members returned, all of them carrying large bits of wood. They began to pile them all up, as a spit was placed on either side of the fire pit. The crew were all looking worried as Blake glanced at Jack, he was having paint painted on his face and he glanced at her as well, muttering at her worriedly.

"Because who else would save the day?" She grumbled to herself.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10:

Blake sat, her arms crossed, her lips pursed and her body tense with clear annoyance. She was surrounded by bone, yellow, dirty, and knotted together with ropes to form a round cage. One of her legs hung down through the gaps in the bottom of the cage as it was hanging down a hole between two cliffs. Mist shrouded the ground from below her as the top of her cage was tied to a rope, slung across the sheer drop. She was alone in her cage, but not far beside her was another. This one held Gibbs, Marty, Cotton and a few other members of the _Black Pearl_. Their cage too was made out of human bone. Beside them was a third cage, holding more of the crew, a grand total of perhaps fifteen of them in all.

The crew had watched as many of their members were burned alive, their skin roasted, before they were eaten by the tribe of Pelegostos cannibals. When the bones had been stripped of all their skin, tendons and muscles, they had been used to form the cages that held them now.

It hadn't been a pretty sight.

Jack was still sitting on his throne as the Pelegostos planned to eat him as well, planning on freeing the god from within.

They could tell when something was happening at the village, it became noisy, instruments sounded or chants from the tribe members. Everyone looked up as they heard this followed by a shout, a shout that was clearly in english.

"What was that?" Gibbs whispered.

Everyone was quiet as the chanting got louder before the tribe all appeared on the edge of the cliff. They had someone with them, someone wearing white and clearly not part of the tribe.

Gibbs and his cage members all gasped as his cage began to be reeled in towards the pelegostos. They all looked fearful as Blake got to her feet, watching.

The cage was brought by a handful of the tribesmen to the cliff before they all began to fiddle with the cage. After a moment, their spears pointing inwards at the captives, they added the extra to it. Resealing the cage they then began to lower it back down carefully and slowly. The two remaining cages watched before Blake looked surprised.

"Will!" the boy turned and saw her. He was wearing a white shirt with a blue vest over the top and baggy blue breeches. His hair was tied up away from his face and he looked older. He looked better looked after then the last time Blake had seen him. It wasn't that surprising she guessed, Blake hadn't seem him in quite some time. The last she had seen of him, he'd been standing high above her on a fort as she made her escape from Port Royal with Jack.

Will Turner was the only son of Bootstrap Bill Turner, who's blood had been needed to break the curse on Barbossa, his crew and the Pearl which he'd stolen from Jack. He and Will's childhood crush had been roped into it when Bill had send a piece of the required treasure off to his son.

Jack and Will had first met Blake when they'd fished her out of the ocean, on the quest to save Elizabeth who had been taken by Barbossa.

"Blake!" He gasped. "You have no idea how good it is to see you." He confessed.

"I'd like to say the same except that you've been added to our predicament." She reminded him. "What are you doing here?"

"I came looking for Jack?"

"Why?"

"Elizabeth is in danger, I need his compass to set her free."

"The compass?" Blake asked, "Wait? How is she in danger?"

"We were arrested for helping Jack and you escape last time." Will confessed. "They bargained with me because they want you, and Jack's compass."

"Me?" She asked confused before her expression contorted. "Someone's seeking me out, personally?"

"Sort of, he had a warrant for us all. Elizabeth faces the gallows without that compass." He confessed.

Blake glanced away from him and towards the cliff. She reached for her right shoulder where there was the only scar she'd never healed from, a brand. Someone wanted her…

Everyone turned as drums began to echo through the sky, coming from beyond their canyon and towards the village. The crew all shared a look, worried.

"Why are you guys here?" Will asked as he turned from the direction of the drums towards Gibbs.

"Jack beached the ship and we all got kidnapped by the Pelegostos. He was put on the throne before he locked us all here." Blake admitted, being the one to answer. She looked down the ravine in which they were dangling into.

"But why would he do this to us? If Jack is the chief…?" Will questioned.

"Aye, the Pelegostos made Jack their chief. But he only remains chief as long as he acts like a chief." Gibbs explained.

"So he had no choice. He's a captive then as much as the rest of us." Will realised.

"Worse, as it turns out." Gibbs confessed. "See, the Pelegostos believe that Jack is a god in human form, and they intend to do him the honour of releasing him from his fleshy prison." Gibbs explained, Will glanced towards Blake who nodded. Cotton grabbed Gibbs' hand from the cage and bit two of his fingers. Gibbs' ripped his hand from Cotton and gave him an annoyed look.

"They'll roast him an eat him." Gibbs admitted.

"And they chose Jack?" Will asked, looking at Blake, she put a finger to her lips and shook her head slightly.

"Being Captain I guess it looked fitting." Gibbs shrugged as many of the crew members were sitting amongst the cages, their legs hanging down.

"Where's the rest of the crew?" Will wondered.

"These cages we're in," Gibbs said looking at it, "Weren't built till after we got here." He confessed. Will looked at them and removed his hands from the bones.

"The feast is about to begin." Gibbs muttered looking at the edge of the cliff above them. "Jack's life ends when the drums stop."

"Well, we can't just sit here and wait then can we?" Will said and began to think.

"You plan on fighting all those tribals unarmed?" Blake asked.

"The ship still has an armoury, if we can get there, we can get Jack out." Will thought as he was looking up at the ropes that had them strung over the ravine.

"As long as we're quick enough." Blake added.

"Well, we'll get the weapons, and you can save Jack." Will said pointedly at her.

Blake looked at him annoyed. Right, Will and Elizabeth, along with Jack, were the only ones who truely knew what she was. They'd seen her survive bullet wounds and explosions.

"If we can reach the edge of the cliff, we can climb out." Will said.

"And how do you intend to do that?" Blake asked.

Will smirked at her. "We swing."

Blake rose an eyebrow before Will turned to all of those in his cage. He spoke them all, giving them instructions before they all move to one end of the cage and then to the other. They moved backwards and forwards in sync with one another, across the cage. The cage began to swing and they continued to movements, moving back and forth through the cage, to get it swinging from one side of the cliff to the other.

The other cage caught on and began to do the same, until both cages were swinging past Blake in large arcs, crossing between the two sides of the cliff. They reached for the cliff further from the tribe's home, sticking their arms through as their threw their bodies at the cage wall.

Blake sighed at them before she looked over her cage. She was only one and she wouldn't be able to swing as much as the two other's could. She also didn't see the need to. The cages sung past her, all their occupants crying out as they reached for the vines on the cliff when they neared it. They tried again, reaching again, and managed to grab the foliage, but the force of the cage swinging back caused the vines to break and they fell back down. Everyone threw themselves at the cage bars again and reached for the cliff before everyone hung on and the ropes went slack. The two cages clung to the cliffs now. Blake gave them an impressive look.

"Put your legs through! Start to climb!" Gibbs ordered and the cages began to make their way towards the top.

"Come on men! It'll take all of us to crew the _Black Pearl_!" Will shouted encouragingly.

"Actually, you wouldn't need everyone. Bout six would do." Leech confessed. He suddenly stopped climbing, everyone else doing the same and so did Will's cage. Blake turned towards the cliff where the sound of the drums was supposed to be coming from, only everything was silent.

"Oh, dear." Leech muttered. Will looked at Gibbs who nodded quickly

"Hurry!" Will shouted and they began to move again.

Blake ran her hands across the bones of her cage, feeling them, before she took a hold of one. She took a deep breath and yanked. The bone broke in two under her pressure, splintering and shattering under her hands. The pieces that were tied to the rest held on and dangled towards her, while several shards fell away, disappearing down below her into the dark depths. She grabbed the cage, at more sturdier places, and with a swing, her legs went out of the hole. She rounded herself, pulling her torso out of the cage as well until she was lying on top of a cage.

"God this could actually kill me." She muttered as she looked down at the empty darkness filled with mist. Blake looked up at the rope above her and she grabbed it before pulling herself to her feet.

The men were still shouting at one another, encouragingly, they'd turned their climb into a race.

"Come on! Go! Go! Go!" Marty encouraged, his legs and arms were not long enough to help everyone climb. Leech's cage was ahead of Will's and he glanced at the other several times, pulling faster.

"Heave! Come on! Give it all you got!"

Blake was pulling herself up the rope of her cage, using her arms and legs to get to the top of the rope, where she could then move across towards the cliff. In hind sight, swinging was the better idea.

Blake stopped instantly as a tribal member walked above her on one of the bridges. These bridges held no rails and were open on either side. Blake stopped, not wanting her movement to catch the Pelegostos' attention. Will spotted him also and immediately began to shush everyone.

"Wait! Stop!" He whisper shouted. "Stop! Stop!" He waved to the other cage and they halted too, looking around.

They all shushed one another, watching the tribal member as he continued along the bridge without a glance towards them. When he'd passed Blake, walked over the top of her and had his back to her, she started climbing again, quietly. She was glad she was wearing dark colours, it made her less noticeable.

Will watched the tribal boy as Leech looked at those in his cage and held a finger to his lips before pointing to the top. Those in the cage began to climb again.

"What are they doing?" Marty questioned.

Will shook his head. "No! Stop!" Will muttered, waving his hand around as Leech only smirked at them, they were getting a head start. Gibbs ground his teeth irritably before Leech suddenly lost his grin when he grabbed a snake instead of a vine. He looked at it and his face showed pure horror.

"Snake!" he cried. Everyone freaked out, they started shouting and screaming as Leech dropped the snake, but too late.

Blake turned to watch in surprise as the grip on the vines was released. The cage, no longer held up, fell backwards and away from the cliff, falling down towards the depths of the ravine. The pelegostos stopped at the screams from the prisoners, catching sight of the cage as it fell. The cage dropped so fast, and with such force, that the rope holding the cage up, snapped. Blake's grip tightened as the rope she was holding twanged as an after effect while the cage fell. The pirates screamed as they disappeared to the dark abyss. Will and the others watched and bit their lips, gapping at what their fate might be, before the Pelegostos looked up noticed them on the cliff side.

Will stared at him, noticing their position was compromised.

"Move!" Will shouted. Stealth was out of the option now and they continued to climb.

Blake watched as the kid turned and ran, ran from them to inform the rest of the tribe. She continued her climb and finally reached the rope her cage hung off of. She pulled herself up, onto it and paused, taking a break. She glanced at her hands, they weren't red or raw so that was a bonus. She turned back to Will and the others as they were reaching the top of the cliff. Blake looked along the rope she now had to move along and took a breath. Across wasn't as hard as up.

And she started moving, away from the cage, Will, Gibbs and what remained of the _Pearl_'s crew, and back towards the tribe's centre.

She was halfway across when the cage reached the top of the cliff and rolled onto the grass to safety.

"Cut it loose! Find a rock!" Will shouted and they scurried through the grass to do so.

"Blake!" Will shouted across as he saw her, hanging upside down and scurrying across away from them. She stopped and turned to look at him, her ankles locked over the rope and releasing one hand to see past them to him.

"I'll get Jack!" She shouted back. "Get to the ship!" and she continued on her way.

Blake reached the cliff side, grabbed some vines and pulled herself up onto the grass. She paused, taking a breath, before she got to her feet and started running towards where she remembered the village to be. As she did she heard calls and shouts of the villagers heading for Will, Gibbs, Cotton, Marty and the rest.

She ran through the trees, ducking to avoid getting hit by the branches and jumping out of the way of logs or bushes that emerged into her path before she shot straight out and found huts before her. She smirked and moved through them until she found the throne. A fire had been built and had also been lit, it was blazing and burning away.

The roast however was missing. What wasn't missing was some rope on the ground beside the fire.

Jack had gone…

Blake huffed and looked around. Well, he couldn't be far. She hurried through the village, looking around it. She moved behind huts, past bridges…

"You'd think he'd just head back to the beach… clearly not." She grumbled.

She paused as she heard a shout and turned. Well, if it was going to be anyone… and she hurried after it.

Blake came to a stop surprised as she saw Jack standing by a low brick wall, lining the edge of a cliff. There were more huts here but so were two tribal women. In the distance was in fact the beach.

Jack was tied to a pole, clearly the spit for the fire, with the ropes tied many times around his torso to keep him connected to his spit. The two tribal women all had fruits by them and were throwing them at Jack, who was battering them away from his face before one every now and then, one screwed onto his spit. There was fruit all over the place, smashed and broken into pieces from having been thrown. Blake ducked as one came at her face and went over her head.

"Stop it!" Jack shouted. The two women stopped, surprised, mangos and pineapples in their hands as they looked at Jack. He had fruit on either end of the bamboo stick making him look like a fruit skewer. Jack glanced at the two as fruit juice dripped down in front of him.

Jack turned to the low wall, and suddenly ran towards it, with the cliff on the other side of it, screaming. He bent over, the pole heading downwards to the ground before he stuck his pole into the base of the bricks. He suddenly jumped and used the pole to spin over the edge of the cliff. He turned over and over in the air, the pole sticking out with the fruit on either side of him.

Blake moved and instantly grabbed a rope from a pile near by as Jack landed, on his feet, on the other side safely, the edge just behind him.

Jack grinned, and everyone watched him, before the fruit began to fall towards his head and the ones on the back, towards the end. The extra weight caused Jack to wobble before he cried, fell backwards and off of the cliff.

The two tribal women peered down after him and Blake hurried to the edge as well, her mouth open in surprise.

Jack fell down the cliff faces, but the ravine was too narrow and Jack's pole got stuck horizontally between the cliff walls. The rope was yanked on and Jack was released from the pole. Jack went spinning around and around as the rope around him unravelled. He groaned out as he spun before he fell some more and the rope caught around his ankle, the other end tied to the pole.

Jack hung from the pole, upside down, stuck between the cliff walls.

"Anifi." one of the tribal women said as they watched him.

"Aboogie?" the other said.

The pole slipped slightly and Blake gasped. She made a loop in both ends of the rope she had, moved to slip it over one of the roofs of the hut, grabbed the other end tightly as she slipped it over her wrist, before she ran back for the edge of the cliff to jump over it.

Jack's pole slipped some more and he sighed. "Bugger." He muttered.

Blake fell towards the pole, the rope extending as it was wrapped around her wrist, still holding some slack. She reached her other hand forward for the pole that was below her, her goal.

As she got closer, it slipped from the rock walls on both sides and Jack began to fall again.

She grabbed the pole's end as it turned vertical, Jack falling, with her chasing. He turned to look at her, and was screaming up at her. She gasped as she saw a bridge and Jack's back smashed into it. He broke straight through the bridge and continued to fall. He hit another, and another, and two more, followed by two more. The pole got stuck at the first one, but slipped between the slats of the bridge. The fruit was all pushed off and Blake's hand was pushed off with it before she covered her face and smashed through the bridge as well.

Jack continued to scream as Blake followed him, smashing through the bridges herself before she managed to grab the end of the pole again, just as the rope on her wrist strung tight.

Blake cried out as the rope pulled on her arm and her shoulder suddenly and roughly. The force caused it to be pulled from its joint socket as Jack yanked on her other arm, from the other end of the rope.

Jack was hanging not a few meters above the grassy ground. He turned to look up at Blake as she let out a painful groan. She opened an eye, seeing how far from the ground they were before she released the rope and they fell again. Jack landed in a heap on the grass, his pole stabbed point first into the ground by him, and Blake hit the dirt with a painful gasp.

"For christ sake!" She snapped and she reached for her shoulder. One of the bones was out of place. "You owe me!" She snapped at him. She held her breath before there was a click and she shoved her shoulder back into place.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

Jack untied his leg from the pole and got to his feet, he shook his head and stumbled slightly before he turned to Blake. He offered her a hand and she rose an eyebrow. She gave him her good arm and he yanked her to her feet.

"That's the last time I fall off a cliff for you." She said.

"Didn't you jump?" He muttered. She hit his shoulder.

They both paused however as there were shouts, coos and chanting. They both turned in time to see the Pelegostos appearing from between the trees.

"To the ship?" Blake muttered.

"Aye." Jack said before they both turned and flat out sprinted through the forest.

They sprinted through the trees, dodging and darting to not fall over, before the sound of the ocean reached them. Within a moment they could see it and they sprinted right for it. The Pelegostos continued behind them, shouting and shaking their spears around.

Blake shot through the trees first and her feet splashed sand and water everywhere as she ran along it before they hurried along the shore line to try and find the Pearl.

Blake had expected it to still be beached, but as they turned a corner she noticed the ship was in the water, floating upright and the crew were climbing up the side.

Jack noticed them too. "Oi!" He shouted and the crew turned towards them. They sprinted towards the ship as the Pelegostos came out from behind them. Will, who was grinning at them, lost the excited look.

"Time to go." Will decided.

"Cast off those lines!" Gibbs shrieked before he ran for the side of the ship, the rest of the crew doing the same, jumping the small waves. Pintel and Ragetti had found the ship beached, Ragetti looking over the rigging, ready to climb to boost the sail while Pintel, who'd been standing in the ocean, climbed onto the ship with the rest of the crew.

Jack looked back at the tribe and yelled as he ran, his arms waving around him. Blake cut across the water and towards the ship before she planted her feet, spun around and a huge wave went rushing across the sand and blasted into the pelegostos.

"Make ready to cast off!" Gibbs shouted over the water praying in his face.

Jack smirked at Blake before she grabbed his hand.

"Keep going or they'll leave us!" She snapped as she yanked on him towards the Pearl.

The pelegostos all were shaking their heads of the water and looking around. They spotted the two still running away from them and planning to board the ship. They began to get back to their feet but the two now had a substantial lead.

"Oi!" Jack shouted at his crew as they were preparing to leave. A dog was standing on the shore and he barked at Jack and Blake as they ran past.

"Good doggie." Jack said before turning to the tribe and shouting again. The dog barked at them as Jack jumped over the waves towards his fleeing ship while Blake jumped and one pushed her further towards it, ahead of Jack. The sails were down and the boat had completely left the beach, now sailing in the shallows.

The pelegostos stopped at the shoreline where the water washed over their feet. They didn't enter the waves or the water.

Blake jumped and a wave washed her right onto the edge of the _Pearl_ where a lattice of ropes hung. She grabbed it and began to yank herself up as Jack reached his ship and grabbed the ropes also.

"Alas, my children," Jack waved his hand towards them. "This is the day you shall always remember as the day that you almost—" a wave came up and splashed Jack in the back, cutting him off. "Captain Jack Sparrow." He muttered before beginning to climb to the deck.

Blake heaved herself right over the railing and onto the deck before she heaved a sigh.

"Miss. Blake, you alright?"

"Jack fell off a cliff." She muttered. "I jumped off after him. Gimme a minute for me to catch my breath, and ask me again." She confessed as Gibbs looked sort of surprised.

Jack had climbed onto the deck behind her and she shot him a look, which he grinned too. Gibbs turned to him as everyone was running around the deck.

"Let's put distance between us and this island and head out to open sea." Gibbs decided as Pintel and Ragetti appeared behind Jack. Blake looked at them both.

"What the hell are you two doing here?" She demanded, recognising them. They shot her innocent grins as they put Jack's jacket over his shoulders. Blake could have sworn they were supposed to have been executed with everyone else of Barbossa's crew.

"Yes to the first and yes to the second but only so far as we keep to the shallows as much as possible." Jack responded to Gibbs, though he followed Blake's question, glancing at Pintel and Ragetti on either side of him confused. Pintel straightened up and saluted to him, Ragetti smiled when the captain looked at him also.

"That seems a little contradictory Cap'n." Gibbs thought.

"I have every faith in your reconciliatory navigation skills Master Gibbs now where is that monkey I want to shoot something." Jack said in frustration. A screech sounded and Ragetti's eye dropped onto the deck. He immediately crouched down to get it, spitting on it to clean it. The monkey screeched again as it climbed over the rigging and Pintel handed Jack a gun.

"Jack." Will said as Jack looked up as the beast screeched again.

"Eh?" Jack looked at him annoyed for an interruption.

"Elizabeth is in danger." Will admitted.

Jack simply turned and walked for the helm as Ragetti put his eye back in his empty socket.

"Yeah you want to tell us who locked her up?" Blake asked as she followed Jack and Will followed them both.

"Have you considered keeping a more watchful eye on her, maybe just lock her up somewhere?" Jack offered as he walked up the stairs.

"She is locked up in a prison, bound to hang for helping you two." Will snapped as he followed up the stairs.

"There comes a time when one must take responsibilities for ones mistakes." Jack said simply. Will stopped at a crew member who was pulling some rigging.

"Jack, you're alive because of her. If not for her you, me and Will would have hung." Blake reminded him. "Her status freed us."

"So?"

"So Will needs your compass for her, you don't even have to go near Port Royal."

"It's my compass." Jack agreed.

"Which hasn't worked for you for months." Blake snapped back. "Need I remind you that you have the _Pearl _because of Will and Elizabeth also and you owe them."

"Pirates don't give favours."

"You're in their debt Jack, that you must abide by."

"I don't think I'm in the mood." Jack said as he stepped towards her.

Will suddenly drew the sword of the crew mate beside him and placed it against Jack's neck. Blake looked at it surprised as it went over her shoulder and she took a step back as she rose an eyebrow at Will.

"I need that compass of yours Jack." Will said looking at him. "I must trade it for her freedom." Jack eyed Will and glanced at Blake. She gave him a look, her arms crossed, before Jack moved the sword to his other shoulder and turned to Gibbs who was at the wheel. Will looked confused.

"Mister Gibbs," Jack began.

"Cap'n." Gibbs responded, glancing towards him.

Jack moved to stand right behind Gibbs, at his shoulder, as Blake and Will watched.

"We have a need to travel upriver." Jack said leaning close to him.

Gibbs looked at him surprised and uncertain, not liking the idea. Blake's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"By need, do you mean a trifling need, a fleeting, as in a passing fancy?" Gibbs wondered hopefully.

"No." Jack answered. "A resolute and unyielding need." Gibbs sighed at the answer, having not wanting to hear it as Jack stood at the railing looking over the ship.

"Which river are we going up?" Blake demanded as she moved to stand beside him.

"Would you know it?"

"Very likely, which one?"

"I have a voodoo priestess to see." He muttered and she looked surprised before she grinned.

"Seriously?"

Jack looked surprised. "No one's ever excited to see her." He muttered.

"I am." She grinned.

"What we need to do is make sail for Port Royal with all haste." Will said as he stood on Jack's other side.

"Oh, Will, we can give you the compass, but I don't think going back there is smart." Blake said. "You want us dead? That'd make all this worthless."

"They don't want Jack dead." Will said and the two looked at him confused.

"And me?" She asked.

"Can you die?" Will asked.

"Depends who wants me."

"Does it matter, we have to save Elizabeth."

"So her life's more important than ours?" Blake asked casually. Will pursed his lips as he stared at her.

Jack sighed. "William, I shall trade you the compass if you will help me to find this." Jack pulled out the cloth with the key on it to show Will.

Will looked at it, stepping closer. "You want me to help you find this?" he asked, tapping it as the ends fluttered in the wind. Blake's eyes narrowed as she looked at Jack.

"No. You want you to find this." Jack corrected, looking at him. "Because the finding of this, finds you incapacitorially finding and/or locating and you're discovering the detecting of a way to save your dolly belle ol'... what's-her-face." Jack rambled. "Savvy?" Jack said, grinning. Will stared at him before he grabbed the cloth from Jack.

"This… is going to save Elizabeth?" Will asked, looking at the key.

Jack shuffled slightly closer to Will. "How much do you know of Davy Jones?" He wondered cautiously. Will thought it over, his forehead furrowed.

"Not much."

"Yeah, it's going to save Elizabeth." Jack nodded. Gibbs smirked from behind them as WiIl glanced back at the key. Blake grabbed the bone that hung in Jack's hair and yanked it closer to her, causing a gasp from the Captain.

"What are you doing?" She demanded quietly.

"We need the key."

"You're going to get him killed." She whispered as they moved away from Will.

"You said I needed someone who didn't have a contract with Jones."

"So you're going to take advantage of Will's care to do so!?" She demanded.

Jack glanced at the boy. "Will's father is on Jones' ship." He said.

Blake rose an eyebrow. "Oh, so you're cruel as well as untrustworthy. Will cannot save his father!" She snapped.

"He can if he has the chest."

"You want the chest!" She snapped.

"Doesn't mean it can't be used for all sorts of purposes." Jack shrugged.

"Jack, this is a bad plan, trust me."

"Seems to be working so far." He grinned. "Are you with me on this or not?"

"Do you intent to leave Will on Jones' ship?" She asked.

"No." He nodded.

"Do you intent to trade me onto that ship?" She asked.

"Why would I do that? You're my weapon against Jones." He muttered.

"He also happens to likely want me more than you." She returned.

"Hadn't thought of that, maybe I will." He smirked.

Blake glared at him, her blue eyes turning as grey as thunder clouds. Jack took a step back.

"Kidding." He muttered.

"Jack, do not toy with me about this. Remember, I am the reason that kraken wont drag you, this ship and your crew down this afternoon. This is one danger I will not let you trifle with." She said darkly. Jack grinned at her, his forehead furrowed in fear before she stalked off past him and down the steps to the deck.

"What's up wth her?" Will questioned as Jack stared after her.

"Daddy issues." He muttered back.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12:

Blake sat at the Captain's desk, her feet on the wood as she leaned back in the chair and looked at the blue waters behind the ship. Trails of foam followed them from where the _Black Pearl_ plied through the waters.

The door opened and Blake didn't turn to it as she rose the bottle of rum in her hand to her lips, taking a mouthful of the burning liquid to swallow it.

"Isn't the captain supposed to use the captain's cabin?" Blake turned to look at Will as he smirked at her.

"I commandeered it." She said and Will smirked slightly. Jack after all had insisted on using that word when she first met the two, them having stolen a Navy Ship. "Being me, he can't boss me around. It was one of the initial deals when he invited me to stay abroad this ship."

"Why did he?" Will wondered.

"Daughter of a goddess, I'm a great trump card, especially when he's the only one on board who knows."

"None of the other crew know?" Will asked surprised.

"Nope." Blake popped the 'p' before taking another mouthful of the rum. Will watched her, an eyebrow raised.

"You seemed rather unhappy with him at the moment." Will said as he walked towards the desk.

"He's Jack, you surprised?"

"Well, you two always seemed to get along better." He said as he looked around the room, fiddling with a few things.

"It's not that we don't get along," She shrugged.

"What is it then?"

"We're dealing with an issue that is rather sensitive. I can't have him messing it up." She confessed, leaning her head back to drink some more of the rum. Swallowing it she sighed. "Honestly, he'd be screwed if he did, but he's Jack so…" She rolled her eyes.

"Is this about Davy Jones?" Will asked. Blake looked at him before she turned to the water. "He's real?"

"The Lord of the sea, the Captain of the feared _Flying Dutchman_. Oh he's very real, and not someone you want to come across." She muttered.

"Why does Jack care about him?" Will questioned.

"Davy Jones hunts down pirate ships, he kills mercilessly, but those who survive he offers a choice, join him and serve a hundred years abroad the _Dutchman_, postponing their deaths in the process, or die." She admitted. "But there is another purpose he likes to upkeep. He makes deals with people, he does what a person wants, gives them a time limit, and then they are to join the _Dutchman_ for a hundred years of service. Or die." She added.

"And Jack made a deal?"

"He's an idiot, of course he did." Blake chuckled. "His choice is to either obey orders as an underling on the _Dutchman_, or be dragged down to Davy Jones' locker."

"That's why he wants the key?"

"Yep. To escape servitude." She nodded.

Will's forehead furrowed as he glanced at the cabin doors. "Why is Jones so desperate for servers?" Will asked.

"I don't think he's desperate for servers." She muttered. "His original job was to ferry those who died at sea over to the other side, care and look after them. But he abandoned the job, and instead of caring, he enslaves. I think it's supposed to be a punch towards Calypso."

"Calypso? You mean your mother, the sea goddess?"

"She gave him his duty, so he did the opposite."

"Why?"

"He was betrayed." She shrugged before rolling her eyes.

"You don't seem certain."

"He overreacted like a child and refused to listen to any reason." She muttered.

"Sounds like you know him personally." Will muttered.

"I do. Better than likely any mortal alive." She nodded. "Of course, I was there when he was given his role, though I don't remember it well, and I was there when he betrayed it."

"Just how old are you?" Will chuckled. Blake rolled her eyes as she took another swig of her bottle.

"Shouldn't ask a girl her age Mr. Turner." She smiled. "So, what have you been up to since I saw you last. If I remember correctly you were kissing Elizabeth at the edge of the fort." She smirked.

Will smiled.

"Her father took a while to warm to me, after all I hold no standing in society." Will muttered. "It's clear he'd have preferred she chose Norrington."

"How is Norrington?" Blake wondered.

"Don't know, he resigned several months ago." Will confessed.

"Last I saw him he was getting caught in a hurricane several months ago." Blake smirked slightly.

"Hurricane?"

"I snuck onto the ship for some info and in order to get the _Dauntless_ off the _Pearl_'s back I may have created a hurricane." She shrugged, Will rose an eyebrow at her in amusement. "So, did you tie the knot with Elizabeth? Devastated I didn't receive an invite."

"Would you have come?"

"No but being told about the event is the point." She confessed.

Will chuckled. "The wedding was a few days." He admitted.

"You got married! Seriously? Why didn't you lead with that?!" Blake asked sitting up and looked excited.

"Almost."

"Almost?" She questioned confused.

"We were both arrested before we could even say our vowels."

"For helping Jack all that time before?"

Will nodded.

"That's just plain dirty, arresting a man and robbing a women of her wedding day. I can just imagine how irritated Elizabeth was, she's not the little flower she was before Barbossa kidnapped her." Blake smirked, taking another swig of the rum. "Even I'd not want to anger her."

"The daughter of a goddess, scared of a mortal." Will smirked in amusement.

"The scorn of a women is to be feared no matter who you are." Blake warned.

"Even by another women?" Will asked amused.

"Well, a women is scarier to a man than to another women, but still not someone to cross." Blake shrugged. She turned to look at Will as he was looking out to the water. "You never told me who arrested you both?" She said as she took another mouthful from her bottle.

"A man named Lord Cutler Beckett." William answered. Blake gagged as she choked on her drink, the hot poison going down the wrong pipe of her throat. Will looked at her confused as she hit her chest. When she'd regained her breath she looked up at him.

"The director of the East India Trading Company? That Beckett?" She demanded of him and Will rose an eyebrow.

"You know if him?"

"Course I bloody well do." She snapped. Blake stood to her feet, undid the tight vest by its strings to remove it and then unbuttoned the top two buttons of her shirt, much to Will's surprise and confusion. She turned around and pulled on the shirt at her back, pulling the third button up to her neck and exposing her right shoulder. Will looked surprised. Sitting there, on a slight angle, the top pointing towards her neck, was the burn mark of a 'P'. It exactly matched the one Jack had just above his wrist.

"Jack has that brand." Will muttered as he looked at it.

"Lots of pirates have it." Blake nodded as she pulled the front of the shirt to put it back into place, buttoning up the shirt and picking her vest up to pull it back on. "Its a brand given to pirates by Cutler Beckett, so that those of the Navy, those who are righteous or what ever word you want to use for boring people, can recognise those who are pirates." She grumbled as she turned back to face Will. "It's the only mark I have that never disappeared afterwards. That never healed over."

"Beckett did that to all pirates?"

"Only the ones that pissed him off." Blake said. "Jack betrayed him, so be branded Jack a pirate, I refused to do as he asked, so he branded me."

"Jack betrayed Beckett?" Will asked confused.

"Jack worked for the East India Trading Company about fourteen or so years back, he was betrayed by pirates and so abandoned pirating and decided to be an honest man. Beckett gave him a job to trade slaves and Jack refused, let all the slaves go. So Beckett branded him a pirate."

"Just because of that?" Will asked surprised.

"Yep." She nodded. "He cared about human life and that made him irreparable. You think pirates are bad, nothing beats Beckett." She spat the name.

"And he did the same to you?"

"I refused to give him Davy Jones, so he branded me."

"Davy Jones?" Will questioned. "Why did Beckett want him?"

"Davy Jones is known as the Lord of the Seas, he controls it, he commands it. Many, many years ago, that seat belonged to Calypso, goddess of the sea, but she was trapped and bound in a human form, so the control was taken from her. Before she was bound however she granted Jones his mission and he gained control as well. With her gone, he now basically _is_ the sea." Blake explained as she looked out to the water left behind the ship. "If you control Davy Jones, you control the sea." She said. "Or so it's said."

"But… you're the daughter of the sea… don't you hold a command too?"

Blake smirked. "I can do things Jones can't, that's for sure." She nodded.

"You weren't good enough?" Will asked smirking.

She shot him a look. "There's something more to Davy Jones than just his ship you know. You think the fact that he can pass to the underworld and travel the bottom of the sea is all that makes him scary?"

"It's not?" Will asked.

"You need to read more stories." Blake mused. "Have you ever heard of tales of the black spot?" She wondered.

"Doesn't a marked man get the black spot?" Will asked.

"One who is marked for death." She nodded. "Know who started it?"

"Well I'm going to assume it was Davy Jones." Will sighed and Blake nodded.

"Jones has a pet, in legends at least, and it hunts those who have the Black Spot. Or who ever Jones wants. He commands it. This is what scares people about Jones, for the only safe place from it, is on land. Land is not an option for pirates. It hunts those with the black spot."

"A monster?" Will rose an eyebrow.

"You've fought cursed pirates and are talking to the daughter of a goddess and yet a monster is hard to comprehend?" Blake asked chuckling. Will couldn't help but nod slightly.

"And that's why Beckett wanted you?"

"Wants." She corrected. "Why do you think I'm constantly being captured by navy ships and yet never executed? Why do you think I'm always careful of the Navy? I might be a pirate, but Beckett wants me alive. At least until I give him what he wants."

"Can a hanging kill you anyway?"

"No but it's a pain to come back from." Blake mumbled as she sat on the top of the desk. "Can you imagine healing from a broken neck, being paralysed from the neck down? It's not at all it's cracked up to be."

Will rolled his eyes. "I'm still unsure as to what you have to do with getting Jones though?" He said.

"Enough power to summon the asshole." She muttered, picking her bottle back up. "So are you still a Blacksmith, or does marrying the daughter of a governor give you more standing?" She wondered with a smirk.

"You're changing the topic."

"Your point?"

"Why?" Will wondered.

"Well, was there more you wanted to know?" She questioned.

"Land ho!" The two looked up as the shout sounded from above them at the helm. Blake grinned

"Looks like you're going to find out regardless." She said as she put her bottle down and moved for the door. Will followed her outside and she moved to the railing. An island sat a few legs ahead of the ship, covered in green as trees stretched as far as the eye could see.

Blake moved for the ratline, climbing up it for a better look as there was a break in the trees. A river flowed through the island, large enough for dinghies to fit through as the _Pearl_ moved towards it.

"Hoist the sails! Weigh Anchor!" Jack called as he was looking at the island through his telescope.

The _Pearl_ came to a stop right by the river and the crew bustled around to have the ship stationed in the shallows of the ocean.

"Oh so are we actually leaving the ship on the water this time?" Blake questioned, "Sure you don't want to beach it again?"

"This is not an island we should linger on." Jack mumbled looking worried.

"Neither was Pelegostos!" Blake snapped back, causing Jack to jump surprised.

He looked at her with narrowed eyes for a moment before he looked over his crew members.

"Right, you, you, you and you, guard the ship." He pointed. "Captain Villemiare, I assume you're coming?"

"Durr." She nodded.

"And William, you as well." Jack pointed without question, earning a raised eyebrow from the boy. "Anyone else?"

Marty put his hand up first, followed by Cotton, Pintel, Ragetti and finally, with a heavy sigh, Gibbs.

"Right then, into the long boats!" Jack ordered.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13:

The two long boats made their way along the river. The trees cast dark and long shadows over the boats, making the darkness set in upon them, only lightened by the streams of light that managed to pass through the canopy.

The ocean was left far behind and soon a few people were seen sitting along the river side. It was eery quiet and everyone in the boats were looking around at the jungle around them. Jack sat with Cotton, who rowed the boat, and Blake in the first boat, the girl was standing at the tip of the long boat as the others sat behind her. Gibbs and Will sat in the other boat, Marty at the front with a gun in his hand, looking over the trees, as Pintel and Ragetti rowed.

"Why is Jack scared of the open ocean?" Will questioned as Jack's eyes scanned the trees around them cautiously. Mist was hovering above the waters as their boats sailed silently through it.

"Well, if you believe such things, there's a beast that does the bidding of Davy Jones." Gibbs began as he held the rudder for the boat, directing it.

"A monster? Blake said it followed those with the Black Spot? Did Jones' bidding?"

Gibbs nodded. "A fearsome creature with giant tentacles that suction your face clean off." He made a grab towards Pintel and Ragetti who sat with them listening. Ragetti reached up to touch his cheek. "And drag an entire ship down to the crushing darkness.

"The Kraken." Gibbs named it. Pintel and Ragetti glanced at one another as Marty turned around to look at Gibbs. Will glanced towards Blake's back ahead of them.

"They say the stench of its breath is…" Gibbs shivered. "Imagine the last thing you know on God's green earth is the roar of the Kraken and recking odour of a thousand rotting corpses." Ragetti grimaced at the thought while Gibbs looked worried. He smiled weakly and looked up at them. "If you believe such things." He added.

They had begun to pass houses now which sat along the river edge, lopsided from the uneven land and made of wood.

"And the key will spare him that?" Will asked.

"Well, that's the very question Jack wants answered. Bad enough even to go visit… _her_." Gibbs muttered.

"Her?" Will asked.

"Aye." Gibbs nodded, not saying anything more.

Night had fallen by the time the boats reached their destination. A single large hut, lit up by candles and lanterns sat on the river edge, right at its end. Jack stood behind Blake, a hand on her shoulder as if to steady himself.

"You know you seem rather scared." Blake smirked.

"You're not?"

"Of Tia? Never." She smiled. "I love her."

Jack looked surprised. "I didn't know anyone could."

"You don't know her like I do." Blake smiled. "I haven't seen her in years." She patted his hand with a smile. "I couldn't be more excited." Jack looked her over before he glanced around the river banks. People were standing in the shadows, watching the group, their hidden faces made them more eery and creepy than necessary.

Jack reached for the small peer at the base of the hut and hooked a rope over it as Blake stepped out and began to climb the ladder.

"No worries mates." Jack said as Marty tied off the second boat and Cotton tightened Jack's job. "Tia Dalma and I go way back. Thick as thieves. Nigh inseparable we are…" his expression suddenly faltered. "were…" he corrected. "have been…" his voice trailed off. "before…" Gibbs got up and stood next to him.

"I'll watch your back." Gibbs assured.

"It's me front I'm worried about." Jack admitted, before he turned to the ladder that led to the door.

Blake had moved to the door of the hut and she knocked upon it before turning the handle. Jack climbed up behind her, crouching to hide behind her curvy form as he peered over her shoulder.

"Mind the boat." Gibbs said to Will.

"Mind the boat," Will passed it to Ragetti, who passed it to Pintel, who passed it to Marty and it landed on Cotton, who was unable to reply. Even the parrot repeated the phrase and flew up to the hut. Cotton slumped back defeated.

A women sitting at a table looked up as Blake had knocked and opened the door. She had dreadlocked hair, her mouth, teeth, gums and all, were black, while her dress was old and worn. She had three black marks under each of her eyes.

She smiled widely and got up from her spot.

"_My dear!_" She said as Blake grinned and moved towards her. The women embraced Blake before she pulled back and looked her over. "_How gorgeous you still are._" She didn't speak in english but Blake understood her easily.

"_I missed you._" Blake returned as the women brushed her cheek with her knuckles, smiling fondly. She then noticed that Blake was not alone. She glanced at the girl who smiled. "It's been a long time Tia." She said in english. "I hope you don't mind, but someone needs to talk to you."

Jack was peering in from the doorway and the two women turned to him as Cotton's parrot flew to the railing behind the pirate. The women smiled as she saw who stood at her door.

"Jack Sparrow." She said, her voice had a wispy tone to it.

"Tia Dalma." Jack greeted walking forwards, he jumped as he almost ran head first into one of the many jars hanging from the celling.

Tia Dalma walked around Blake and towards the pirate who joined them.

"I always knew the wind was going to blow you back to me one day." She smiled with her whispering voice, one hand holding up the skirt of her dress. Jack grinned at her just as Gibbs had followed him inside.

"My dear, you are travelling with Jack?" Tia asked smiling at Blake.

"Have to do something with my time." Blake smiled. "He does the trick." She shrugged coyly and Tia smirked, Jack looked between them both as they shared a smile.

"Is this a good thing?" Jack wondered as Will was now walking through the door. Tia spotted him and her smile vanished, completely ignoring Jack's question.

"You." She pointed and everyone looked to Will, he walked towards Jack and Tia, who walked around Jack. "You have a touch of… destiny about you, William Turner."

Will looked slightly surprised at her knowing his name. "You know me?" He asked.

Jack turned away from the two a worried look on his face, he glanced at Blake who smirked slightly, raising an eyebrow at him.

"You want to know me?" Tia grinned as she leaned forwards. Blake cleared her throat and Tia glanced backwards as Jack quickly ran to place his hand between the two.

"There'll be no knowing here." He said, quickly interrupting. "We've come for help and we're not leaving without it." Jack gave Will a pointed look before turning Tia away from him. "I thought I knew you?" He muttered.

"Not so well as I had hoped." Tia answered. "Come." She called as she moved to her desk.

"Come." Jack pulled a chair for Will and pointed to it. Will sat down, looking at Tia who smiled at him, standing by the chair.

"What, service, may I do you?" Tia wondered as she brushed her fingers along Will's cheek and chin. He glanced from her to Blake who rolled her eyes at the women's antics.

"Never changes…" She mumbled.

Tia however had lost her alluring smile and turned to Jack. "You know I demand payment." She snapped suddenly.

"I brought payment." Jack grinned and waved his hands with a whistle. A cage was brought to Jack and he lifted the cover over it to reveal Jack the Monkey.

Jack took a hold of the top of the cage and pulled out his pistol. "Look." He shot the animal and it only screeched, holding its hands up in surrender. "An undead monkey." He placed it on the table. "Top that." Tia rotated the cage on her table before she opened the door, allowing the little creature to run out and scurry into the back room.

"No…" Gibbs mumbled as they watched it run and sit upon a pair of boots visible through the door. Blake's forehead furrowed… why was she harbouring someone else? "You've no idea how long it took us to catch that." Gibbs admitted.

"Would have been easier to catch with Blake here had decided to help." Jack grumbled at her.

"Don't piss me off if you want my help." Blake shrugged.

Jack shot her a look.

"The payment is fair." Tia admitted and moved the cage.

"We're looking for this." Will opened the cloth with the key and placed it on the table. Tia turned and she stared down at it, pausing in her movements. "And what it goes to." Tia turned to Blake and the two held a long look, Blake serious and Tia with slight accusatory. Blake was first to look away as Jack's forehead furrowed slightly. Tia turned to him, pointing to the cloth.

"The compass you bartered from me, it cannot lead you to this?" She asked him.

Jack had been admiring a hat in his hand before he turned from Blake to Tia. "Maybe." Jack answered, wriggling his nose slightly as he glanced between the cloth and Tia. "Why?"

Tia smirked as she sat down. "Aye, Jack Sparrow does not know what he wants." She realised as she leaned on her desk. "Or, do you know, but are loathe to claim it as your own." Jack put the hat down, ignoring her as Will was looking at the pirate suspiciously. He glanced at Blake but she also ignored his looks as Jack blew something from his face that hung from the celling, not answering. Pintel and Gibbs looked at Jack also.

"Your key go to a chest," Tia said simply, readjusting herself in her chair before she sat back in it. "And it is what lay inside the chest that you seek, don't it?" Tia said, pointing at the cloth and turning to Will. She shot Blake a look and Blake looked down at the key, her eyes were grey like storm clouds, a tell that said she wasn't in the happiest of moods.

"What is inside?" Gibbs wondered.

"Gold? Jewels? Unclaimed properties of a valuable nature?" Pintel guessed as Ragetti had turned to the jar beside his head, filled with eyeballs.

"Nothing… bad, I hope." Ragetti said as he turned his gaze back towards Tia.

"You know of... Davy Jones, yes?" Tia wondered leaning forwards and the men all looked at her with anticipation, her soft, low voice filling the room with anticipation. "A man of de sea. A great sailor, until he ran afoul of dat which vex all men." Jack glanced at Tia as he took a small pouch from one of her tables and pocketed it. Blake grabbed a lock of his hair as he was grinning and he looked at her as she'd yanked on it. She gave him a hard look and he smiled weakly at her before removing the pouch and putting it back.

She released him.

"What vexes all men?" Will wondered. Tia placed her fingers on his hand, brushing his skin.

"What indeed." Tia grinned at him, speaking softly.

"Well the sea?" Gibbs guessed.

"Sums?" Pintel added.

"Dichotomy of good and evil." Ragetti tried. Everyone looked at him confused by his answer while Jack rolled his eyes

"A women." He guessed correctly.

"A wo-man. He fell in love." Tia nodded with a grin.

"No-no-no-no, I heard it was the sea he fell in love with." Gibbs said. Tia turned to him sternly.

"Same story, different versions, and all are true." Tia said strongly. "See, it was a woman," she indicated to her figure. "As changing, and harsh, and untameable as the sea." Will's forehead furrowed and he glanced at Blake, who seemed to not be listening as hard as all the others. "Him never stopped loving her. But the pain it cause 'im was too much to live wid. But not enough to cause him to die." She specified.

"What… exactly did he put into the chest?" Will asked, pointing at the cloth with the key.

"Him heart." Tia smiled as she placed a hand over where her own was.

"Literally, or figuratively?" Ragetti wondered.

"He couldn't literally put his heart in a chest…" Pintel snapped but trailed off as he turned to Tia "Could he?"

Tia looked up at him. "It was not wort' feeling what... small fleeting joy life brings," she confessed. "And so... him carved out him heart, lock it away in a chest, and hide de chest from de world. De key," she nodded to the cloth, "he keep wid him at all times."

Jack shot Blake a look as Will stood up and turned to Jack

"You knew this." He accused.

"I did not." Jack defended. "But you did." He said to Blake.

"I said that's where it was the last time I saw it, I didn't know if he'd moved it." She snapped back as Tia looked her over, curiously, cautiously.

Jack turned back to Will. "I didn't know where the key was." He shot Blake a look. "But now we do." He smiled. "So all that's left is to climb aboard the _Flying Dutchman_, grab the key, you go back to Port Royal and save your bonnie lass, hey!" Jack clicked his finger and turned to the door ready to leave when Tia stood up and held her hand out to him.

"Let me see your hand." She demanded. Jack hesitated and turned to her, prepared to give her his right hand but Tia gave him a strong look. Jack sighed and handed over his bandaged left hand. Will stood between the two as Pintel, Gibbs and Ragetti leaned forwards to see while Tia unravelled the cloth. Blake had her arms crossed as Tia removed the cloth from Jack's palm to reveal the black spot.

"The black spot!" Gibbs gasped. He brushed his chest, spun around on the spot and spat on the ground. Pintel and Ragetti did the same for good measure. Tia looked at his palm, ignored the three boys, and turned away.

"You know you can't catch the Black Spot right?" Blake said as Will leaned towards her.

"My eyesight's as good as ever just so you know." Jack admitted with a smile.

"You knew he was marked?" Will muttered to Blake.

"Of course I did." She responded. "Gives a weird feeling through the air." She whispered.

Tia moved from amongst them all and into the back room. Gibbs, Pintel and Ragetti leaned around to look at what she was doing as clattering came from the room where the black boots sat on the table. Jack glanced at her also before noticing a ring on the table before him. He leaned down and picked it up, placing it in his pocket. He had picked the ring up from among others and a necklace with a heart-shaped locket on the end. He turned to look at Blake who had watched him do it.

"I'm sure Angelica will be glad to know you got it back." She smirked at him and his eyes narrowed at her before he slipped it onto his thumb.

Tia was throwing a lot of things around in her back room before she finally came back out with a jar of dirt in her hands.

"Davy Jones cannot make port. Cannot step on land but once every ten years." Jack looked at the jar in her arms and his eyebrows furrowed. "Land is where you are safe, Jack Sparrow. And so you will carry land wid you." Tia handed the jar to Jack, who hesitantly held out his hands and then took the jar. He eyed it unsurely as he held it. Everyone else looked confused by the jar also.

"Dirt." He stared the obviously. "This is a jar of dirt."

"Yes." Tia nodded.

Jack nodded but still looked unsure. "Is the, jar of dirt going to help?"

"If you don't want it, give it back." Tia said and held her arms for it.

"No." Jack clutched the jar to his chest.

"Then it helps." Tia smiled with a nod. Will watched as Jack moved the jar away from Pintel who was looking at it. He sighed before turning to Tia Dalma

"It seems we have a need to find the _Flying __Dutchman_." He admitted. Tia smiled and leaned down, sitting back into her chair as she grabbed a bunch of crab claws from her table into her hands.

"A touch, of destiny." She shook her hands before she dropped the crab claws onto the table.

Everyone peered at it, foreheads furrowed in confusion. Blake moved around the table and looked at the collection, her mouth moving as she muttered to herself. When she looked up everyone was watching her.

She rose an eyebrow. "Are we going then?"

"Going where?" Pintel questioned.

"It's a cluster of islands." She said simply before moving for the door.

"_Are you sure about this?_" Tia spoke up and everyone looked confused at the tongue she spoke in. Blake had stopped in her tracks before turning to the women. Everyone turned to look at her, having realised Tia was addressing her.

"_It's to set Jack free._" She said simply. "_I'm quite happy to spite him. It's time he was taught a lesson. Who better than me to do it?_"

"_The consequences could be beyond what you expect…_" Tia warned.

"_I'll deal with it then._" She smiled as the boys were all looking confused. "_Thank you, Mother._" She dipped her head slightly before she turned for the door.

"What on earth was that?" Pintel muttered looking at the other's, but none of them had a clue.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14:

The Black Pearl sailed through the darkness, following the coordinates of the cluster of islands made by the crab claws. A storm had rolled in and rain was hitting the deck and all those upon it. The sea was rough and rocking the ship, but the waves were not large and did not wash everyone across the floor.

Blake was standing by the helm, staring through the water and into the darkness ahead of them. If they wanted to save Jack, they needed the key, for that, someone needed to take it from Jones himself. Blake turned to look at Will.

"So what was all that gibberish back there?" Blake turned to Jack who was steering the helm.

"She was warning me what this could all entail. Whether I should really go after Jones."

"She knows who you are?" Jack asked surprised.

"Of course she does." Blake rolled her eyes. "I've never seen her not know something."

"How'd you know about the ring?"

"I know a lot of things too." She responded. She then moved to stand beside Jack. "Now how do you intend to get Will aboard the _Dutchman_ without giving yourself, or me, over to him?" she questioned.

"Depends what we find." Jack shrugged. "He can always get off it after all."

"You're so naive I swear." Blake shook her head before she moved from Jack's side and down towards were Will was moving to tighten a rope.

"Will!" She called and he turned to her before she waved him over. Jack's eyes narrowed as they moved to shelter by the doors to the cabins from the rain.

"You realise you will have to board the _Dutchman_, and face Jones, to get the key?" She said.

"Yeah?"

"And you realise Davy Jones is immortal, without his heart in his chest, he cannot be killed." She said and Will pursed his lips slightly. "Davy Jones and his crew are not normal people Will."

"What do you suggest?" Will asked.

"For starters, never make a deal with him. Once you make a deal, you'll never be able to get off the _Flying Dutchman_." She warned. "If you can't get off, you will never see land, never see Elizabeth and you might as well be dead to the world." Will looked at her seriously at her tone. "I'm not kidding." She confessed.

Will nodded slowly.

"As long as you don't have a deal, as long as you don't swear an oath, you can get off and that's important to cling to. Also remember, you'll need to steal a rowboat because the _Flying Dutchman_ never stops at land." She continued. "If you can find an ally on the ship, that would be helpful. But none of his closest confidants, they'll happily whip the skin from your bones for suggesting betrayal."

"Whip?"

"One of their punishments." She brushed the thought away. "And Will," he looked at her, "if you value your life, and the lives of the people you love, never say my name to any of the crew."

Will looked confused. "Why?"

"Jones has been after me for years, since the first Brethren Court years, and he'll do anything to trap me on that damn ship, including force the information of my whereabouts out of you by any means necessary." She confessed. "Do not let them know you know me, or have seen me. It they asked about Captain Villemaire, feel free to tell them you've heard of stories but do not admit you know me personally, or that you know who I really am."

"What did you do to him?" Will questioned. "Why does he want you?"

"I ran away." She admitted.

"Ran away? You were on the ship?"

"I grew up on it." She confessed. "But after my mother was imprisoned in human bones, I jumped it and left. Jones has been after me ever since."

"Why?"

"As punishment to keep me away from my mother, to stop me from seeing her. He wants me, to spite her."

Will looked her over before he began to nod.

"Oh, and what ever you do, don't trust Jack." She said simply with a grin.

"I never intended to."

"Great." She nodded.

Through the darkness of the sea several tiny islands, rocks poking out of the sea, came into view. However with it, there was a shipwreck. The middle had been broken and sunk below the waters while the bow and stern stuck out, the middle mast was gone.

The Black Pearl was brought to a stop, Gibbs shouted orders to drop the anchor and prepare a longboat, before he joined Blake, Jack and Will at the railing, looking through the sheets of rain and darkness at the shipwreck.

"That's the _Flying __Dutchman_?" Will questioned over the howling wind as they were all soaked and lightning flashed across the sky. Gibbs and Jack stood behind him, Gibbs with his mouth open and Jack looking rather unsure. The captain ran his fingers over his chin and then, remembering the spot on his hand, lowered it. Gibbs smiled unsurely and nodded slightly as Blake was looking around the heavy waters.

"She doesn't look like much." Will muttered with a shrug.

"Neither do you." Jack snapped back. "Do not underestimate her." He warned. Blake turned to give Jack a glare from Will's other side and Will glanced at her. Gibbs was staring at the shipwreck and Jack nudged him.

"Must've run afoul of the reef." Gibbs spat out. Will turned to Blake who shook her head and Will's forehead furrowed slightly.

"So what's your plan then?" Jack wondered, catching the two's attention back.

"I row over, search the ship until I find your bloody key." Will said simply.

"And if there are crewmen?"

"I cut down anyone in my path." Will turned away from the railing and began to climb down to where Ragetti had readied a long boat.

"I like it. Simple, easy to remember." Jack nodded.

Blake hit him. "What the hell you lying to him for?" She demanded.

"You think he'll go otherwise?"

"He has to go get your key, doesn't mean you fib." She said before she followed Will.

"What's wrong?" Will asked when she reached him. He kept his voice as low as he could to stop anyone over hearing, but loud enough that Blake could hear it over the wind.

"That's not the Dutchman." Blake said quickly, "That's what the Dutchman is here for. The Kraken attacked the ship to give him more servers."

"Why's Jack pretending it is?" Will wondered as he made sure everything was strapped in and moved for the gap in the railing.

"Cause he's stupid." She shrugged. "I don't know, just be prepared for everything." She said. Will glanced from her to the boat before he nodded. "And good luck." She added.

"Your chariot awaits you, sire!" Ragetti said as he hung off the edge of the Pearl, holding the rope for the longboat as he started cackling. Will climbed into the boat, a lantern in one hand.

"Oi!" Jack shouted down as he, Gibbs and Pintel joined Blake at the railing. "If you do happen to get captured, just say, "Jack Sparrow sent you to settle his debt!" Might save your life!" Jack shouted down at Will. Will gave him a look, looking at Blake who dropped her head onto the railing and hit her forehead against it.

Ragetti pushed the boat away with his foot, releasing the rope from the boat and Will began rowing across the rocking sea.

"Bon voyage." Ragetti cackled as thunder cracked before he climbed back onto the boat.

Jack turned to Pintel. "Douse the lamps." He ordered. Gibbs and Pintel both moved, passing on the order as Jack and Blake looked down after Will.

"If Jones spots your ship, which he probably will, I hope you know that I'm not going to be here to protect you." Blake warned.

"Where are you going?" Jack asked, his forehead furrowed.

"I'm going to hide." She said simply. "Because this ship will survive longer, the longer Jones doesn't know I'm on it."

"You sound like you're scared of him." Jack confessed.

"Scared of being stuck and trapped in his brig for the rest of forever." She nodded before she moved from his side.

Marty licked his fingers and put out one of the lamps. Cotton placed a burner over another to smother it. Pintel blew one out. The _Black Pearl_ disappeared as the lamps went out, the ship, as black as the night, allowed for the best camouflage.

Will reached the break in the wrecked ship, his lamp in his hand as he climbed out of the longboat. He glancing around as the ocean washed over the ship, its cargo floating in the waters all around it, the rain pouring down and soaking its sails. Will moved to the break, water covering over his boots and rose the lantern in his hand, trying to see through the dark, wet night. A figure caught his eyes and he moved towards the ratline, holding the lantern ahead of him. There was a man amongst the rigging, his face bloody as he lay motionless. A creaking caught Will's attention and he turned to see another man, only this one was alive and moving. He was pulling on a rope, a rope that raised the sails but was no longer connected to one. His hands were raw from pulling on the rope over and over again.

"…up the… captains orders…" He muttered.

"Sailor," Will said walking towards him.

"…the stench… capsized…"

"Sailor!" Will repeated

"…bring it around…"

"There's no use, you've run aground." Will said, the man stopped pulling and turned to Will.

"No! Beneath us…! Foul breath!" He staggered with his words in horror. Will looked at him before a splash behind him sounded. A man had fallen from one of the masts. Will turned before he stepped towards the body. It was lying half in the water when it moved, trying to climb forwards. Will passed another man, hiding in the rigging and whimpering, watching this poor sailor trying to climb from the waters and glancing at Will. At the sight of movement, Will quickly ran towards him,

"Hey! Hey!" he called and hung the lantern up before reaching the man. Will bent over him and turned him over, but gasped and stumbled back. The man had no face, it had been suctioned off.

A large bang echoed from the waters that caused Will to turn around. Emerging from below the surface, a giant ship jumped out of the water. It rose, bow first high into the air before falling forwards to lie flat atop the surface. Water ran from everywhere, through the portholes, off of the sails and over the railings, the ship dispersing it all. The ship sailed towards Will as he pursed his lips. It was green and covered in sea life, barnacles, algae and crustaceans. The masts were covered in the same slime and algae. The front looked like a mouth with large teeth, threatening to swallow you whole. Around the cannon holes, faces were carved into the wood, making it look like their mouths were wide open.

Will stood on the railing of the broken ship as water tumbled from the _Flying __Dutchman_, it sailing past the wreck.

Suddenly, people began to emerge from the wood of the broken ship, pushing themselves out of it as if moving through mud. They, like the ship itself were covered in sea life, barnacles, coral, starfishes. Some had marine life attached to their bodies, eels for heads, shells around their limbs, a wheel sticking from their bodies. Their weapons were no different, the spinal cord of an animal for one.

The fish crew surrounded the boat and grabbed all the survivors, cackling while the survivors gasped at the sight of the mutants. One of them approached Will who turned too see the crew member with chains and cannonballs, the chains clattering together.

"Down on your marrowbones, and pray." He ordered before swinging the cannon ball at Will. He jumped up, using the ratline for support. Will jumped over and to the deck, pulling his sword as another joined them. He blocked the club to his head and then the cannon balls on a chain twice. He stabbed the pirate and bashed him across the head before swinging as he blocked another. He put his sword into a barrel of oil and swung it into his lantern. The entire blade was coated in flames as he waved the sword around. The fish men refused to go any closer.

"Get back! Back!" Will warned. He spun around in circles, the men chuckling at him as they surrounded him, before one hit him and took a step forwards. Will ducked and swung his sword, cutting open his stomach. Water, slime and small fish fell out as if he'd been housing an aquarium. Will stepped back disgusted, the fish guy falling over as he held his stomach as its contents washed over their boots. Will turned in time to see one of them swung at him before he collapsed to the floor.

The men were all put in a line, Will on the end, his forehead now bleeding. He turned to the side as a clonking sounded, as if one side of a footstep. A man walked towards them, he had a crab's leg as one of his own and the opposite side arm was a crab's claw. He turned to a hammerhead.

"Five men still alive, the rest have moved on." He informed. An octopus was below the captain's hat, his jacket covered in coral and barnacles. He walked along the line before stopping in front of one of the men, him whimpering.

Davy Jones leaned down to him, his tentacle beard wriggling as he lit a pipe. His eyes were a bright blue through the slimy face which was missing a nose.

"Do you feel death?" he asked, breathing the smoke of his pipe back into the man's face. A tiny tentacle on his cheek blew out the match. "Do you fear that dark abyss?" the man was still whimpering, panting as he was spoken to. "All your deeds laid bare. All your sins punished. I can offer you… an escape-uh." Jones offered. The man stopped panting and finally looked up into the Captain's face, his eyes widening.

"Don't listen to him!" Jones' head snapped towards the man on the left end of the line, his hands were together before him, a cross between his fingers, which were shaking. He turned his gaze away as soon as Jones looked at him, but the captain got up and walked to him, grabbing the man's neck with his crab claw.

"Do you not, feel death?" he wondered.

The man stared at him as Jones took another breath of his pipe.

"I'll take my chances, sir." The chaplain answered.

Davy turned to the man behind him. "To the depths." The chaplain's throat was slit. Water crashed against the boat as everyone turned their gaze away and the now dead man was thrown to the sea.

"Cold blooded—!" one of the men began and Jones stopped next to him.

"Life is cruel." He tapped his pipe on his claw to empty the ashes he'd just lit. "Why should the after-life be any different?" He snapped. Jones leaned back down to the first man. "I offer you a choice. Join my crew, and postpone the judgment. One hundred years before the mast. Will ye serve?" Jones wondered.

"I-I will serve." He agreed. Davy smirked before he stood up to walk away.

He then noticed Will.

Davy Jones examined the boy. "You are neither dead nor dying." He noticed, turning to look at the hammer head beside him and then back to Will. "What is your purpose here?" He demanded.

Will hesitated, his lips moving but no sound occurring, before he spoke quickly. "Jack Sparrow, sent me to settle his debt."

Davy Jones blinked, looking surprised. "What is your purpose here?" He repeated, leaning closer.

Will rose his eyes, finally looking at the captain's face. "Jack Sparrow… sent me to settle his debt…" Will repeated, smiling ever so slightly though not entire sure of the meaning of what he was saying.

Jones huffed amused and smiled slightly. "Did he now?" Jones nodded as he stood up straight. "I'm sorely tempted to accept that offer."

Jack, standing aboard the _Pearl_ as the rain had stopped, was watching Davy Jones and Will through his spyglass. He opened the other eye before closing it again to concentrate on Jones, before the fish captain turned to look in his direction. Jack lowered the spyglass only to find Davy Jones stood right in front of him.

Jack pulled a face and Ragetti and Pintel, who'd been standing to his left, gasped. Jones' crew was suddenly appearing all around them, grabbing the two pirates as they backed away, the fish people walking out of the wood of the ship to surrounded the crew of the _Black Pearl_. Gibbs and Cotton backed up also, only to be grabbed from behind and swords covered in barnacles pointed and held to their throats. Ragetti was pulled forwards, bent on an odd angle as Jones' crew chuckled.

Jack gapped as he looked around his ship before turning back to Jones. "Oh."

"You have a debt to pay!" Jones stated. He began to stalk forwards and advance on Jack. "You've been captain of the _Black Pearl_ for thirteen years. That was our agreement." Jack stepped backwards, away from Jones.

"Technically, I was only captain for two years, then I was viciously mutinied upon." Jack tried to talk his way out of it.

"Then you were a poor captain, but a captain nonetheless! Have you not introduced yourself all these years as _Captain_ Jack Sparrow?" Davy Jones mocked Jack, raising his voice and his crew chuckled. Jack was glancing around, trying to find the ombre-haired girl, but she seemed no where in sight. He turned to Jones who had walked behind him.

"You have my payment." He continued. "One soul to serve on your ship is already over there." Jack turned to point over his shoulder, talking about Will.

Blake was crouched, holding tightly to a rope, as she was crouched on a piece of rope that slung across the black sails. Her hair was tied up, hiding the blonde as she wore dark colours to try and blend in. She looked at all the crew members below her, she recognised most of them but her eyes were on Jones, talking to Jack. He got worse and worse every time she saw him, but considering it'd been several decades, this was the worse she'd ever seen him. Breaking his duty did not sit well. It was a harsh price to pay for breaking balance.

"One soul is not equal to another." Davy snapped.

"Aha! So we've established my proposal is sound in principle, now we're just haggling over a price." Jack said quickly grinning.

Jones straightened up, blinking at Jack, confused by the sudden turn the conversation had taken.

"Price?" he asked before he popped his lip.

Jack looked Jones over curiously before he stepped forwards. "Just how many souls do you think my soul is worth?" he asked smugly. Davy looked from Jack, to the side and then back again.

"One hundred souls. Three days." He agreed.

"You're a diamond, mate. Send me back the boy, I'll get started right off." Jack said turning away from Davy to talk along the deck. One of the fish members stepped into his path, hissing at him and causing Jack to stop.

"I keep the boy. A good-faith payment. That leaves you only ninety-nine more to go." Davy said before cackling, his crew members joining in.

Jack looked worried, like he didn't like that Will was taking his place all of a sudden. He glanced at the crew members laughing before he tried a new angle.

"Have you not met Will Turner?" Jack asked walking towards Jones. "He's noble, heroic, terrific soprano. Worth at least four… maybe three and a half." He said, not giving the boy any more credit. "And did I happen to mention… he's in love." Davy looked at Jack. "With a girl." Jack smirked and began to circle the immortal captain. "Due to be married. Betrothed." A soft expression took Jones' fishy face. Blake's forehead furrowed at the look on Jones' face, he wasn't capable of feeling emotions such as those currently plain on his face? "Dividing him from her and her from him… would only be half as cruel as actually allowing them to be joined in holy matrimony. Aye?" Jack said over Jones' shoulder. The expression left Jones' face and he turned his head to Jack behind him.

Davy turned away again. "I keep the boy. Ninety-nine souls-uh." His crew chuckled and Jones turned to Jack. "But I wonder, Sparrow, can you live with this?" Jack glanced to the side "Can you condemn an innocent man — a friend-uh — to a lifetime of servitude, in your name, while you roam free?" Davy wondered, giving him a narrowed look.

There was a pause. "Yep! I'm good with it." Jack smiled with a nod. "Should we seal it in blood? I mean... mm-mm — ink?" Davy grabbed Jack's hand and ran his fingers and the tentacle of his index finger over it. Jack gasped as his had was covered in slime.

"Three days-uh." Davy repeated. He pulled his hand back from Jack's and turned to walk away as his crew chanted the same two words.

Jack glanced around again before he spoke one last time. "By the way, speaking of girls," Blake's forehead furrowed as she looked angry and thunder cracked. Jack glanced at the sky momentary. "I heard a rumour that you might be looking for one…" Jones stopped and his crew all did as well. "Gorgeous pirate Captain… a Pirate Lord… are they true?" He grinned.

Jones was still, his back to Jack for a moment before he turned.

"Don't waste my time with rumours, Sparrow." And he left.

They all disappeared, leaving the deck, releasing the crew members, and returned to their ship which in turn, also vanished, Will along with it.

Jack looked down at his slime covered hand and watched as the black spot vanished. Gibbs, Cotton and Marty walked to Jack's side as he held up his hand.

"Ah, Mr. Gibbs."

"Aye?"

"I feel sullied and unusual." Jack muttered taking his gaze from his hand.

A knock sounded and everyone turned to see Blake had dropped down from the rigging and the sails.

"Are you mad!?" She demanded of him and Jack instantly turned, moving behind Gibbs to peak over his shoulder at the girl.

"I was just curious." He said.

"You could have ruined everything!" She demanded as she stalked towards him. Gibbs leaned back worried, glancing at the captain behind him.

"I made sure to state it was a rumour." Jack muttered smiling slightly.

"You just can't keep your mouth shut can you!" She shouted and Jack flinched.

"Urm…" Gibbs began as he was standing between the two and everyone was looking at Blake with worry. "Not to, interrupt but, how do you intend to harvest these ninety-nine souls in three days?" Gibbs wondered, turning to Jack.

Blake glared at him as Jack looked from her to Gibbs.

"Fortunately, he was mum as the condition in which these souls need be." Jack admitted.

"Ahh… Tortuga." Gibbs realised with a grin. Jack slapped his hand to Gibbs' chest and whipped the slime off on him.

"Tortuga." He agreed.

Blake glared at Jack, her jaw tight before she raged, threw her hands in the air and there was a sudden lightning strike as a wave crashed against the boat and sent everyone to the deck.

Blake, being the only one to remain standing stormed for a doorway and disappeared through it.

Everyone was looking around, unsure and rather frightened.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was angry." Ragetti muttered.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15:

The _Pearl_ moved through the waters, now able to sail over its depths now that the Kraken was no longer hunting Jack. Blake had not been seen by anyone and the men were rather glad she hadn't come out to rage at them all again. Even if she was mad at Jack, her wrath made everyone fearful.

Jack had been pottering around on the deck trying to avoid having to see her, even though she was in his cabin again.

Gibbs was watching Jack as he paced around, grumbling to himself before he finally stopped and began to descend the stairs. Everyone paused to watch as the captain disappeared into the cabin.

"Is that a smart move?" Ragetti wondered.

"Probably not." Pintel returned.

Blake was sitting at Jack's desk again and she looked up at him as the door closed behind him.

"I wasn't going to sell you out." He said.

"And get yourself out of trying to recruit one hundred people?" She responded coldly.

"Can't be that hard. Tortuga is crawling with them." Jack shrugged.

"You'd have better luck luring a ship into place and letting his kraken have it." She said.

"Ah, but we now have three more days to find the chest while Will gets the key." Jack grinned at her.

She sat up quickly, her hands on the desk and he jumped slightly.

"I told you, I told you why he's after me, that I would help you, even protect you as much as I could against the kraken and you turned around and almost blew my cover away." She snapped. "Not only that but you confessed in front of your entire crew that Jones was after me. Any one of them could sell me out!"

"They wont do that." Jack rolled his eyes.

"We're going to Tortuga where they're all going to be drunk and running their mouths!" She shouted and Jack jumped at the raise in her voice.

Jack was silent for a minute. "It's not like Jones will find out you're with me though, I only stated a rumour."

"To your crew, about a certain female pirate captain, who's a pirate lord, that they all happen to have been sailing with, for more than a year!"

Jack leaned away from her even though she hadn't moved from her spot behind the desk. He pulled a grimace, glancing around.

"Oh."

Blake glared at him.

" 'Oh'!? That's all you have to say!?"

"In hind sight that hadn't occurred to me…" He mumbled.

"Of course not, you just let your mouth wonder off on its own." She hissed. "Do you really want to make an enemy out of me Jack? The one person who can tell Jones what you're up to, without being anywhere near him? Someone who lives forever and can hunt you down forever?"

Jack's eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't."

"I would if you piss me off and make stupid decisions that ultimately disadvantage me."

Jack watched her, trying to smile slightly. "Oh." He said again.

Blake rolled her eyes and moved around the table and towards him. He backed away, thinking she was advancing on him, before she moved right past him and reached for the door.

"Where are you going?" He asked, frowning slightly.

"It's late, I'm tired, how about to get some sleep." She snapped sarcastically before she threw the door opened and walked out onto the deck. She yanked on the door handle as she did and slammed the door behind her so hard, the glass rattled in their frames.

Jack had flinched before he turned looking worried. "This can't be good." He mumbled.

Everyone on deck had stopped, having listened to Blake's shouts as they reached across the ship. They now watched as the girl moved across the deck, she stopped as she noticed them all staring.

"What are you all doing? Get back to work!" She shouted at them and everyone scampered, those closest moving as far away from her as they could, before she had turned, moved for a doorway and disappeared inside.

Gibbs, Pintel, Marty, Cotton and Ragetti were all up by the helm.

"I've never seen Miss Blake lose it like that." Marty confessed lowly.

"Miss Blake is a feared pirate captain remember, we'd be a fool not to remember that. Many a stories surround Captain Blake Villemaire."

"Remember, she's not just a feared pirate Captain." Pintel muttered and Gibbs, Marty and Cotten looked at him confused as Pintel was looking at Ragetti.

"Quite a force to be reckoned. Almost destroyed this ship once escaping from Barbossa." Ragetti said.

They all looked around at it before at one another worried.

Blake didn't reemerge until the _Pearl _had docked in the harbour of Tortuga.

Jack watched her, eagerly but she moved straight past him and descended the ladder to the deck of the pier without a word.

"Where you going?" Jack called after her, risking it.

"For a drink!" She snapped back before continuing on her way without turning.

Jack glanced at Gibbs who was nodding as if that sounded fair.

"They're like an old married couple." Pintel thought and Ragetti nodded in agreement.

Blake moved through the town, past those drinking, past those shouting, past the gun shots that fired by the minute, and by men chasing women. A man ran at her and she pulled her pistol, firing it without turning to him as she entered the Faithful Bride pub.

Gun shots sounded, a bottle was hit on another's head in amusement, rum falling over their face. Women chased men around, others sat on their laps. Music was being played within the pub as Blake wound her way through it and to the bar. Many gazed at her as she passed but she ignored them all and put some silver coins on the bar as the bartender turned to her.

"Your largest pint." She demanded. The bloke looked at her, almost looking disbelieving, before he noticed how dark her face looked. Her eyes had moved past steely grey to almost gunmetal. The bartender didn't argue, he filled her a pint, handed it to her and took the coins quickly.

Many were watching her as she upturned the mug and sculled its contents. Many started cheering and she reached into her pocket to put more coins on the bench.

"Again." She ordered.

The bartender had no hesitation this time. "Rough day?" the bartender asked as he refilled her goblet.

"Oh yeah." She nodded and she downed the second one. This time she put some gold on the table. "Just keep them coming." She decided and the man nodded, he looked slightly wary, as if giving her alcohol could worsen things. He refilled her goblet all the same and she drained it again. As she did a man who was sitting at a table behind her, rose an eyebrow. He'd been watching her with interest and fascination since she'd entered the bar. Of course men found it hard to resist her charms.

She put the goblet down, moving it slightly over the counter and when the bartender had a moment, he came to refill it.

"You better slow down, love," Blake turned to the man. He had brown hair and eyes, was wearing a long jacket and boots on his feet, a white shirt below the jacket covered by a vest. He just seemed to be missing a hat.

Blake rose an eyebrow at him before she took the goblet and drained it a fourth time without a problem. She put the cup down and turned back to the man. She smiled, her white teeth dazzling as she tilted her head slightly. She turned her back to the bar and leaned her elbows on it.

"I could out drink you any time, dear."

The men standing around them all 'ooh'ed as the man smirked. A few girls giggled as Blake watched him waiting.

"You think so?" He said.

"How many have you had so far?" she asked and she pointed to his goblet on his table. He smirked as he looked at it.

"This'll be my fifth."

Blake turned to the bartender, clicking her fingers and pointing to her cup. He smirked at her and refilled it before she turned to sit at the table with the brunette. He watched her as she tipped the goblet and the hot rum ran down her throat to the last drop and she lowered it to put it back on the table. He watched her as she licked her lips, gazing at him.

"Now we're even." She said and many chuckled. "So, you wanna drink with me, or you worried you'll get beaten by a girl?"

He looked at her amused, a grin on his face before he emptied the last of his goblet.

"Bartender!" he called and he flicked a gold coin at the man when he turned to them. "Two more." The bartender nodded and the stranger turned to Blake. "What's your name?"

"Blake." She responded.

"Liam."

"Hello Liam. I hope you realise you can't beat me."

"And how do you know?"

"Just a hunch." She shrugged.

The Bartender moved over and replaced the goblets with full ones. Blake took the handle of her's and Liam took his before they both over turned the goblets and skulled the contents each.

Blake knew that this pirate couldn't out drink her for a simple reason, her body was different. The rum didn't affect her like it did mortals, it was flushed from her system too quickly. But hey, it would be fun to have a little competition, hopefully boost her day.

Many who had watched the confrontation between the two pirates had huddled around the table, watching eagerly.

"So Miss Blake, what's drawn you to Tortuga?" Liam asked after they had both lowered their goblets and waited for the bartender to bring them another.

"More crew members for a ship." She said simply.

"What happened to the others?" He wondered.

"Well, a few were eaten by cannibals." She shrugged as the bartender refilled their empty goblets.

Those around them muttered as Liam's eyebrows rose.

"Cannibals?"

"Ever heard of the island of Pelegostos?" She asked.

"Nope." He confessed.

"Well, it's an island, deserted of civilised life, and houses a tribe of cannibals who don't speak english." She explained.

"How'd you end up there?"

"Dumb captain." She shrugged.

"You sail under a captain?" Liam asked with a raised eyebrow a Blake rose her now filled jug and downed its contents again.

"Sort of." She said with a smirk. "I'm his trump card."

Liam looked at her, amused and intrigued. There was also a glint in his eye, one that Blake easily recognised. It was lust. "Trump card?" He asked before he also skulled his contents.

Blake could see the red in his cheeks beginning to deepen as the strong alcohol was beginning to go to his head, but he sat straight and steady regardless as he easily placed the mug on the table between them.

"I have a few tricks up my sleeve." She winked at him.

"I didn't see you as the type to take orders." He said with a smirk.

Blake leaned towards him as he put his chin into his palm, his arm propped up by his elbow, his eyes on her with interest.

"I don't." She responded with, a gleam in her eyes that reeled men in towards her. Liam was no exception. "He's more a comrade." She winked. "A bit of entertainment when I need it."

Liam smiled as one man had gone to the bar, excited about the drinking contest and paid for another round of drinks for the two. Those around them were snickering and mumbling to one another in interest. Beyond their little circle the shouts, gun shots and music was still occurring.

"You know, there's something about you…" Liam muttered as she rose her mug and looked at him over the rim. Her eyes had calmed to their blue as her annoyance was being replaced with pleasure.

"Something familiar, or something intriguing." She asked before putting the mug to her lips.

Liam watched her, smirking as she downed another drink whole.

"Both." He said as she lowered the empty mug and he raised his own.

Blake looked at the circle around them before her eyes settled on a man. She rose her hand and taunted him over with her finger. He beamed at her, completely smitten and she tugged lightly on the collar of his jacket, pulling him to bend over and down towards her.

She kissed him and those around them whistled and cheered, cat calling before she pulled back and smiled sweetly. Liam had risen an eyebrow at him.

"Would you like to know something?" Blake whispered to the man she was seducing. He nodded eagerly. "I'd love another mug full of rum." She said, trialing her fingers over his cheek.

He grinned at her before she released him and he moved to the bar to do as she asked. She leaned back in her chair, leaning her elbow on the back of it and looking at Liam. He was grinning at her with amusement. She rose an amused and superior eyebrow at him as her little errand returned to handed her the mug. She flashed him a dazzling smile as she took it and he swooned at her.

"How you feeling?" She asked Liam as she rose the mug, waiting for an answer as she held the mug before her.

Liam smiled and he rose a hand to get the bartender's attention again, buying another drink for himself. She flashed her brilliant smile and put the mug to her lips, feeling the familiar burn on her lips from the liquid. Liam emptied his as well, but when he put the mug down, Blake noticed the slight shake in his hand before it hit the table top.

"Will we drink till you pass out, or until you stop letting your pride control you?" She wondered.

Of course Blake couldn't talk about allowing her pride to drive her actions, she was terribly prideful after all.

"Depends if there's a prize waiting at the end." Liam responded.

"You wont get it if you pass out." Blake warned smugly, several giggles and cackles erupting from those around them.

"And what do you get, seeing as you think you'll win—"

"Will win." She corrected him, earning a smirk. "And I'll have what ever a decide I want. But I doubt you'll be too disappointed."

Another two drinks were consumed by the two, and Liam had trouble placing his mug flat on the table. Blake smiled as she watched him.

"You can always call it quits." There was a slight numb at the back of her mind, caused by the amount of alcohol she had consumed, but it was unable of growing and consuming her like it was doing to Liam.

"And admit defeat?" he said. He sat back in his chair and appraised her.

Blake sighed. "You're going to end up slumped across the table." She pointed to it.

"You're very confident." Liam smirked, "It's very attractive."

"I suppose I just know my limits." She returned. "I also know that no one else can reach them. Though there are many that are willing to try."

Liam smirked at her, he refused to give up and surrender for another six drinks. By then however, he was having trouble sitting up straight. When emptied, his mugs tipped over as he was unable to set them down up-right.

Blake watched him and the crowd around them had thinned slightly before the girl sighed. She stood to her feet and everyone watched in surprise as she walked around the table. She didn't stagger or waver in her step, as if she hadn't drunk at all.

"Are you sure you want to continue?" She smiled at the man as she sat on the table before him. She leaned forwards and tipped his chin up towards her slightly.

"Depends what I get instead." He shrugged, a hungry look in his eye now as he gazed at her.

Blake smiled before she stood up. Those watching began to whistle and shout as she sat herself over Liam's lap, her knees passing the back of the chair before pressing her lips to his.

She just couldn't help herself.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16:

A jingling sounded through the hallway as the blonde tips curled towards her hips. Blake was twirling a set of keys around her finger, smirking as she came to a set of stairs, descending them. There was a reception at the bottom, a few more halls and the front door. Blake moved to the reception and hit the bell on the desk. A man poked his head out of a door labelled private.

"What?" He asked.

"I'm done with my key." She said putting it on the desk. "But my…" she paused and smirked slightly, "friend is passed out." She dug into her pocket and put some gold coins onto the desk. "This should suffice for until he wakes up. Take good care of him." She smirked. The man was looking her over and there was a sly look on his face.

"You sure you're done?" He offered.

"Unfortunately," She flicked her hair over her shoulder dramatically, "I have other things to do." She waved before turning for the door.

The streets were as full as ever, people running, fighting and drinking. People were shooting bottles off of other's heads, some were tied up and being used for shooting practice as smoke filled the air. One man was being hoisted up and down a well, spitting water out as he reached the top.

Moving back around for the port, Blake paused when she noticed a group of people by a wall.

She watched them all gossiping to themselves before she made her way forwards. One of the men saw her and stepped out of her way before several other's did the same, each tapping one another on the shoulders to draw their attention to her, before she was standing at the wall, with a flier in front of her.

Crew for the Black Pearl needed.

Sail under Captain Jack Sparrow!

Sign up at the Faithful Bride!

Well, at least he hadn't put her name on the flier. The last thing she needed was all these crew members knowing her name before being given over to Davy Jones as a pay off. Not only that, but she wouldn't have her name dragged through the mud and attached to such a deed as the one Jack was carrying out.

She turned around and found those around her staring.

"So, are you all going to do it?" She wondered.

"We heard stories of the _Black Pearl_…" Sne mumbled, looking unsurely.

"Leaves no survivors, prays on other ships." They nodded.

"You guys are all behind the times." She smiled and they all looked at her curious and unsure. "The _Black Pearl_ was, for those ten years, crewed by Captain Barbossa. Not too long ago however, Captain Sparrow took his place, and his ship. None of the original crew members are on board anymore." She confessed. Well, that wasn't true, Pintel and Ragetti were back, but that wasn't Jack's choice really.

"Jack Sparrow took the ship? From Barbossa?"

"Captain Sparrow. He has a voyage underway to collect a very valuable item and needs a bit of help." She shrugged.

They all mumbled to each other before one stepped up towards her, slightly unsure.

"Are you going?" Se asked.

"I am. I'm already part of his crew… so to speak." She added as an afterthought. "So I'll see you there maybe." She winked before moving out from the crowd and through the streets.

Music sounded, joyfully and upbeat, the room was warm with a fire crackling in its grate as people moved from table to table, sitting at bars and on stools. Gibbs sat at a table by himself, a list to one side, a bottle to the other. He was interviewing men, a line in front of him.

"And what makes you think you're worthy to crew the _Black Pearl_?" He asked the elderly man before him.

"Truth be told, I never sailed a day in me life. I figure I should get out and see the world while I'm still young." The old man answered, he had a staff in one hand and his grey hair was thinning and hanging in strings off his head.

"You'll do. Make your mark." Gibbs indicated to the paper next to him. "Next!"

Jack, sitting to the side within earshot of Gibbs, had a table to himself, was leaning on a pillar beside a plant, had one foot on the corner of the table and a large pint beside him. He had his compass in his hands and he moved it slightly to the side before snapping it closed and shaking it. He hesitated before he opened it again.

"My wife ran off with my dog. And I'm drunk for a month. And I don't give a rat's ass if I live or die." Gibb's current interviewee explained.

"Perfect." Gibbs smiled. "Next!"

Jack had his eyes shut as he held the compass. "I know what I want. I know what I want. I know what I want." He muttered.

"Me have one arm, 'n' a bum leg."

"It's the crow's nest for you." Gibbs nodded.

"Well, this looks boring." The two men looked up to find Blake leaning on the back of Gibbs' chair.

"Miss Blake." Gibbs nodded in acknowledgement, slightly surprised she had appeared out of no where. Jack paused, his eyes wide and unsure before he turned to look at the girl.

"Where have you been?" Jack questioned. His curiosity was outweighing his worry that she was still angry.

Blake turned to him and he flinched, the look in her eye was somewhat malicious.

"I needed a distraction." She returned before turning back to Gibbs. "Saw the fliers, assumed they were your doing?"

"Had to spread the word somehow." Gibbs shrugged.

"I thought you knew everyone though?" She smirked. Gibbs rolled his eyes and Blake pushed off the chair to sit herself on the end of Jack's table, opposite him with her back to him. He still had his compass in his hand, but was, for the moment, watching Blake. She felt his eyes on her and turned to glance at him over her shoulder, her eyebrow raised.

Jack turned from her instantly and to his compass, closing his eyes. "I know what I want." He opened it and looked, half hopeful, but it vanished instantly. He looked up at Blake and she turned to lay down across the table, propping her head up by her elbow.

"Having trouble there." She asked, sliding a hand down her side.

Jack looked at her, watching the movement, both intrigued and annoyed. He glanced from the compass to her as she winked teasingly.

"Can you not." He returned.

"I'm not the one to blame." She said, her voice a little darker as she spoke about more than just his compass problem. His eyes narrowed at her as she sat back up, facing Gibbs with her back to Jack. She crossed her legs, watching Gibbs as he addressed another sailor. Jack closed the compass again.

"Ever since I was a little lad, I've always wanted to sail the seas. Forever."

"Sooner than you think. Sign the roster." Gibbs smiled, indicating.

"Thanks very much." The man said.

"How we going?" Jack wondered from behind Blake, opening the compass again

"Including those four? That gives us… four." Jack shook the compass again, hardly listening.

"Only ninety-five left." Blake nodded. She turned to Jack. "You know this is a fool's errand." She said. "You'd have better luck kidnapping them all." Jack glanced at her, contemplating the idea and earning a roll of the eyes from Blake as a result. Gibbs sighed at them both before he turned to the man who'd walked up to the table next, smiling.

"And what's your story?" He wondered.

"My story?" Gibbs nodded encouragingly.

Blake paused at the voice and stared at the man before her. There was a wig on his head, grey and brown in colour from dirt. It was sticking out from the man's tattered hat, blue and white in colour. His usual trimmed uniform, blue and unbuttoned down the front was dirty and ripped, his white shirt no longer white with grime. His face was just as dirty as his clothes.

Blake gapped at the man and slowly stood up. He was hardly recognisable.

"It's exactly the same as your story just one chapter behind." The man answered. "I chased a man across the Seven Seas." Jack stopped playing with the compass, snapping it shut and turning to look at the newcomer. Worry itched onto the pirate's face and Jack looked at the plant beside him unsurely. "The pursuit cost me my crew, my commission, and my life." The dirty man took the bottle of rum on Gibbs' table who stared up at him, surprise and recognition reaching his features.

"Commodore?" He asked.

"No not anymore, weren't you listening!?" James Norrington snapped.

Norrington leaned forwards towards Gibbs who pursed his lips, placing his hands on the table before him.

"I nearly had you all, off Tripoli." Jack slowly got up from his seat, grabbing a leaf from the pot and pulling it in front of his face to hide behind, while Blake was gapping at Norrington in front of her.

"I would have, if not for the… hurricane." The girl winced guiltily. She itched behind her ear and glanced around. Well it wasn't really her fault…

"Lord. You didn't try to sail through it?" Gibbs questioned surprised.

"So do I make your crew, or not?" Gibbs hesitated, glancing to the list on the table. "You haven't said where you're going. Somewhere nice!" Norrington tipped the table over, pushing Gibbs to the floor with it. The music stopped, Blake gapped and James turned around, his arms wide open as he addressed the room.

"So am I worthy to serve under Captain Jack Sparrow?" He asked and turned to point his pistol at Jack, clicking off the safety and making the pirate stop. "Or should I just kill you now?"

Jack turned and looked at the former commodore from between the leaves of his plant. He bent backwards and looked at Norrington from the other side of the pillar beside him and Norrington followed him with the pistol. Jack moved again, the pistol following him before he grinned.

"You're hired." He agreed.

Another gun appeared, pushed up against Norrington's head as Blake stood behind him.

"I don't think so." She said. Norrington glanced to the side, but she was too far behind him to be in his line of sight. "Put the gun down, before I'm forced to blow your brains out."

Norrington to a breath, which rattled down his throat. "You sneak onto my ship, and five second later, it's being torn apart." He muttered. He turned to look at her, the gun now pointing at his forehead as she had a strong look on her face. "Captain, Blake Villemaire." Many started muttering at her name.

"You didn't have to pursue us." Blake returned. "Or sail through the hurricane."

"You broke onto my ship."

"Two more minutes and you'd have never even known I was there. What's more, if you had managed to keep me captive, you'd be living large. You've no one but yourself to blame."

Norrington grit his teeth and gripped the gun tighter. Jack went to move but Norrington turned back to him.

"I'm faster than you James." Blake warned calmly, gaining his attention back.

He stared at her before he began to lower the gun, in response she began to do the same, only for him to turn the pistol on her. She rose an eyebrow, glancing from its barrel and back to the former Commodore's face.

"Perhaps it's lucky I've run into you here." He said.

"Oh?" She prompted, an eyebrow raising.

"You're wanted dead or alive, turn you over, I get my life back." He said

"Actually, I'm wanted alive, that's why my bounty's so high." She said smirking in satisfaction. "I'm useless to him dead, so perhaps you'd better rethink your plan." Jack's eyes narrowed slightly. Him?

Norrington stared at her, his eyes narrow with anger.

"Suppose you're at a cross roads here Mr. Norrington, shoot me, or join me on the _Pearl_. Unless you'd rather stay here like a piece of filth." She offered.

Norrington's lip curled and his finger tightened on the trigger. The gun went off instantly followed by another as Blake pointed her gun upwards. Her bullet knocked Norrington's off course and both went shooting upwards.

Jack ducked sideways, instantly getting out of the way.

One of the bullets lodged in the ceiling, while the other hit the iron chandelier hanging from the roof. It deflected off and smashed right through a man's bottle, sending rum everywhere. The man blinked in confusion before he turned to the person beside him as there was a giant shout. One punch was thrown before the music started back up and more shouts followed. Food begun to be thrown everywhere as a few women ducked and the men broke into brawls.

Norrington turned to Blake before him, having been looking with surprise at the shot she'd made. She grinned, putting her pistol in its holster and drew her sword. He watched the movement before she smirked at him and taunted him over. Norrington kicked a man out of his way as he approached Blake. They fell and knocked another man's drink over, soaking him in his own alcohol. A man punched another who got hit over the head by a third with a bottle.

Blake and Norrington engaged, the metal of their swords clinging and ringing while Jack put his plant in a barrel and turned to Gibbs, still on the floor.

"Time to go?" Jack asked Gibbs who was getting up

"Aye." Gibbs agreed. And he got up before following his Captain through the thrown foods and fighting crowd.

Blake countered Norrington's sword clashes as she had to avoid the fists of drunken men at the same time.

"Are you seriously going to blame me for your rash decision?! What you try and sail through the hurricane for?" She demanded of James.

"And let a disrespectful wretch like you escape!" He returned

"I'm disrespectful? You kiss your mother with that mouth!" She snapped.

Food flew everywhere as even women pushed and fought with one another. Jack walked through, Gibbs behind him and paused as two women fell to the ground fighting in front of him. A man jumped and grabbed the chandelier as men were thrown over the balcony.

Blake's sword clashed with Norrington's over and over again before she spun and kicked Norrington. The man tumbled to the floor amongst the chaos, turning to give Blake a glare. She smiled, spinning her sword across the back of her hand before seizing it again, held before her ready.

A shiver ran down her spine and she turned, empty fist raised to slam it straight into a man's mouth. She knocked several teeth out as he toppled backwards into a fighting pair, only to be seized and pummelled some more.

The room was in absolute chaos, Norrington was surrounded, fighting several men as Blake ducked and bashed the hilt of her sword to one's face. She backed up as she was engaged by another man, his sword clashing with her's before she was stopped, her back up against another's. She turned to find a cabin-like boy. They wore a long red coat, a hat on their head with bits of dirty blonde hair poking into the brown eyes. The face was dirty as well while there was a braid protruding out from the hat.

They had a sword in their hand which they turned on Blake, both stepping away from one another as Blake knocked away her current opponent, the two ready to engage.

There was a pause between them and the person looked surprised.

"Blake?" Blake rose an eyebrow as the voice that left the person, looking like a cabin boy, was female. Blake looked her over, looking carefully before her eyes widened.

"Elizabeth!" She couldn't believe it, was this really the prestigious aristocrat she had helped save from Barbossa, the women with soft tanned skin and brown-blonde curls? Blake stared at the girl open mouthed, she couldn't believe it. She held a hand out to her side and grabbed the head of a man running at her, keeping him at arms length while staring at the girl. "Are you seriously Elizabeth Swann?" She questioned.

"What are you doing here?" Elizabeth returned.

"I'm with Jack." Blake confessed obviously. "He needs crew members."

"And Will? Where is he?" Elizabeth asked.

Blake grimaced. "It's a long story." Blake said before he shoved on the man she was holding off, pushing him into several others.

A sword swiped and broke Norrington's bottle, grabbing the two girls' attention as he was leaning against a post. He continued to swing his sword against those around him, being engaged as much as he engaged. He knocked a man who rolled backwards over a table. Elizabeth ducked a sword, blocked it and then grabbed the man's collar moving him around to lean against the post and punching his face. Norrington, also leaning on the post, looked at the man she'd punched and noticed a bottle in his hand. As the stranger fell away, Norrington took his bottle, raising it to take a drink.

Blake drew her second sword and engaged two at once, before she swiped and cut the cheek of one, causing him to stagger sideways into the other.

"Since when did you know how to sword fight?" She demanded, an excited grin on her face.

"Will taught me." Elizabeth responded as another man came flying down from the balcony. Blake glanced up and saw Jack give her a wave to hurry up before he and Gibbs vanished through the top door. She rolled her eyes and put her attention back on her opponents.

"I thought you were locked in a prison?" Blake said as she stood beside Elizabeth.

"My father broke me out."

"I thought Will was working for your freedom?" Blake asked.

"There's only one pardon."

"Pardon?" Blake muttered. She shook her head as the two reposed and kicked their opponents away. "How did you get here?" Blake wondered

"Bartered passage on a ship."

"You got a navy ship to come to Tortuga?" Blake asked, both impressed and irritated by this fact.

The musicians had entered the fight as well, using their instruments to bash people over the had with. Blake kicked another away from her, took a step back and found the pillar behind her. Elizabeth was on one of her sides and Norrington was on the other. Their opponents faced the two girls, swords forwards as they returned the same, while Norrington staggered, his bottle and sword in each hand.

"If you don't all back off, you'll never taste another swig." Blake seethed warningly, her eyes darkening from their ocean blue to dark grey. Those in front of her took a slight step back, worried.

Norrington however was letting the alcohol, and the fact that he had nothing to lose, get to his head.

"Come on, then!" and everyone turned to him as he shouted, the two girls included. "Who wants some? Form an orderly line, I'll have you all one by one."

Blake sighed. "Oh for god's sake." And she sheathed both her swords. Elizabeth had also taken a breath before noticing the bottle in his hand to her right. "Come on, who's first?" Norrington egged. Elizabeth glanced at him several times before grabbing the bottle from his hand and smashing it over his head.

Blake blinked in surprise and so did those around them.

"I just wanted the pleasure of doing that myself!" Elizabeth called and the men around her cheered, the swords being put away, the fighting having ended for the moment and the mugs were raised to the air.

"Wow, who are you? You're not the Miss Swann I remember." Blake admitted, her hands on her hips as she grinned.

"You did say I wasn't the same after being on the Cursed ship." The blonde reminded her.

"Yeah, you were braver, now you're daring too." Blake smiled. "You'd make a good pirate captain."

Elizabeth chuckled as the men were moving towards them. It wasn't menacing as their arms were all empty, but they moved to grab Norrington, who was lolling on the ground.

"What's he doing here?" Elizabeth asked.

"Long story." Blake sighed as Norrington was carried out.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17:

The men moved Norrington out the back door of the Faithful Bride and to the pig stye behind the bar. With a few swings, they all released his arms and threw him. Norrington landed with a splatter in the mud and even on one of the pigs, which squealed in disagreement. The men cackled, leaving and going back into the pub, moving past Elizabeth and Blake, the girl watching the poor man.

"He lost his title." She admitted.

"How?"

"He went to chase Jack and I, but he decided to sail through a hurricane and his entire ship was torn to pieces. Honestly he's lucky he got out alive likely." Blake said.

Elizabeth looked at Norrington before she moved and kneeled down beside him. He was being muzzled by the pigs, which pulled at his once powdered wig. Elizabeth placed a hand under his arm and helped him remove his face from the mud.

"James Norrington," She sighed as he blinked up at her. "What has the world done to you?" She pitied.

"It hasn't been kind." Blake admitted. "He must be feeling very low to have ended up in Tortuga of all places, drinking rum. When was the last time you saw him?" She asked Elizabeth as she helped Norrington sit up.

"After he left to chase you." Elizabeth said. "He resigned several months ago though so none of us had heard from him after that."

"He resigned?" Blake blinked and Elizabeth nodded. "Wow, I didn't think a Norrington would ever resign."

"Blake, where's Jack's ship?" Elizabeth asked.

"Docked at the harbour of course, it's hopefully being reloaded with provisions by the rest of the crew." Blake said thinking. She looked down at the former commodore as Elizabeth helped the man to his feet. "Suppose if you're coming you'd better bring him, he was technically hired by Jack. Better working on a ship to gain himself back than wasting away here in Tortuga."

"You'd do that?" Elizabeth asked surprised.

"Honestly, I feel bad for him." Blake confessed. "Especially covered in mud like that." She added and Elizabeth looked him over. "He needs to sober up somewhat first." She mumbled and looked around. She noticed a bucket and moved to grab it, moving to a tap to fill it up. "Step away from him Lizzie." She said and Elizabeth did so.

Blake swung her hand and the water in the bucket suddenly blasted off at the commodore, hitting him in the full body and almost knocking him off his feet again.

Elizabeth gapped in surprise as it stopped and Norrington was left standing there, dripping wet, but now clean of the mud, though his wig had blown off, revealing his brown hair from beneath.

Blake looked him over for a moment. "Huh, he looks better as a brunette."

"What was that for!?" Norrington demanded as he spluttered.

"Guess that's as sober as I can ask for, for now." Blake mumbled. "You coming aboard Jack's ship or not?" She asked before turning to walk away.

Elizabeth glanced at James Norrington, smiling slightly before she moved off after the half-goddess. James blinked before he glanced at the pigs and sloshed off after the two women.

"So, what have you been doing?" Elizabeth asked Blake.

"Lots of sailing, bit of hunting and searching. Jack's in a bit of trouble, as per usual, and we're currently on a mission to save his ass."

"What kind of trouble?" Elizabeth wondered.

"You do not want to know." Blake sighed as they walked through the streets. "One of the reasons we're here, he needs crew members."

"Didn't Will find you here?" Elizabeth asked.

"No, he found us on an island not far off. He said you were in jail for helping us." Blake frowned, "I'm sorry about that."

"It was what was right." Elizabeth assured.

"Well, at least now that you're no longer in jail, Beckett has nothing to bargain with." Blake sneered.

"You know Cutler Beckett?" Elizabeth asked surprised.

"All pirates know Cutler Beckett, he's the one who brands us all as pirates, if you're lucky you'll get away without having the P burned not your skin, you know, like the one Jack has." Blake pointed to her arm and Elizabeth held recognition. "I have the same brand, but luckily it's on my shoulder, harder to see, easier to hide." She tapped the spot.

"I thought you healed from wounds?" Elizabeth said, her forehead furrowed.

"Yeah well, unlucky for me, Beckett knows who I am, sort of, and so he made sure it wouldn't heal. For some reason, it never did. I don't know if it's because he burned it in over and over again or what." She shrugged.

"Beckett did that?" Elizabeth muttered.

"Cutler Beckett is a strange one, he runs the East India Trading Company, but has most control over the seas. Honestly, it's a bit strange how something like a trading company could hold so much power over the vessels that sail on the waters. You'd think it would be navies or knights, but no, it's s trading company."

"Cutler Beckett holds the tile of a Lord now, he's directly under the employment of the King." Elizabeth admitted.

"Suppose that helps his cause to rule us all." Blake hissed angrily.

They had reached the docks now, in which the tall Black Pearl stood at the end of, several provisions sitting on the wooden pier as people were walking up and down the ramp, loading the boat.

Ahead of them was Jack, Gibbs with them as Blake rose her voice.

"Jack, there's someone who wants to talk to you." He said and Jack paused, glancing at her.

"I almost thought you weren't going to come Blakey."

"Blakey…? Do you have any idea what thin ice you're already walking on!" She snapped, looking irritated as Elizabeth looked at her, gaining worry in her expression as she saw Blake's look, her fists ball.

She intervened. "Captain Sparrow." Elizabeth called as Jack had given Blake a worried look and turned to hurry away from her.

"Come to join me crew lad," Jack wondered, only glancing back, avoiding Blake as he continued towards his ship. "Welcome aboard."

"I'm here to find the man I love." Elizabeth admitted. Jack came to an abrupt stop and his mouth turned downwards unsurely, his eyebrows pushing together as he gave Gibbs a weird look. Blake and Elizabeth stopped behind him.

"I'm deeply flattered, son, but my first and only love is the sea." Jack pointed behind him at Elizabeth and then away from them, indicating for Gibbs to remove the person. Norrington meanwhile ran to vomit over the railing.

Blake rose an eyebrow at him. Elizabeth turned to her with a tired look and Blake shrugged. What more did she expect.

"Meaning William Turner, Captain Sparrow." Elizabeth elaborated and Jack instantly spun around.

"Elizabeth?" He asked and he looked at Blake who crossed her arms. "Where'd you find her?"

"She found us in the pub after you ran away." Blake returned. "She's coming aboard."

Jack looked worried and turned to Gibbs. "Hide the rum." He handed Gibbs the bottle in his hand and Gibbs took it, placing it under his vest feebly before moving onto the ship.

Jack turned back to Elizabeth. "You know, these clothes do not flatter you at all. It should be a dress or nothing. I happen to have no dress in my cabin." Jack pointed over his shoulder slyly.

"Jack." Elizabeth warned him as Blake sighed.

"Have some respect for the girl would you." She warned while Elizabeth looked downwards with a sigh.

"I know Will came to find you, where is he?" She questioned worried.

Jack sighed and looked her over. Blake gave him a look, now what? More lies no doubt. "Darling, I am truly unhappy to have to tell you this but…" Jack took a few steps towards her, "Through an unfortunate and _entirely_ unforeseeable series of circumstances that have nothing whatsoever to do with me," Blake gapped at him, an eyebrow raised while Jack took a breath. "Poor Will has been press-ganged into Davy Jones' crew." Jack leaned slightly away, looking worried as to what her reaction might be, while also trying to be solemn.

"Are you kidding me." Blake asked rhetorically. Jack shot her a look while Elizabeth looked at Jack unsurely.

"Davy Jones?" Elizabeth questioned. Norrington vomited again, causing the three to look at him.

"Oh, please." He panted rather heavily. "The captain of the Flying Dutchman." He scoffed, panting through his hangover.

"You look bloody awful. What are you doing here?" Jack questioned him, looking him over.

"You hired me." Norrington reminded him. "I can't help it if your standards are lax." He said.

Jack furrowed his eyes. "You smell funny." Jack said childishly

"Jack." Blake and Elizabeth cut them off.

"Wha?" He mumbled looking back at her.

"All I want is to find Will." She admitted. Jack sighed and went to console her before an idea popped into his head. He turned to her, looking intensely.

"Are you certain? Is that what you really want most?" he asked. Blake rose an eyebrow.

"Course." Elizabeth said as if it was a silly question, she watched him cautiously.

He stepped towards her, and put a hand on her shoulder. "Because I would think, you'd want to find a way to save Will the most." Jack planned, leading Elizabeth down the deck sightly.

"And you have a way of doing that?" Elizabeth wondered doubtfully.

Blake narrowed her eyes at them. First Will, now Elizabeth, she knew he was a pirate, but was it really so hard to ask for help? He did it with her.

She paused… was that really a good example?

Jack's crew walked on and off of the deck as they stocked the cargo for the ship.

"Well, there is a chest." Jack began.

"Oh dear." James scoffed again, Jack glanced at him annoyed.

"A chest of unknown size and origin." Jack continued as Pintel and Ragetti were shuffling past with a crate of bottles filled with rum between them.

"What contains the still-beating heart o' Davy Jones." Pintel butted in, looking unsure and like he couldn't believe he was saying such a sentence. Ragetti made a motion of taking the heart from his chest and pulsed his fingers in a thumping manner. Elizabeth turned to Jack about to speak but Jack continued.

"And whoever possesses that chest, possesses the leverage to command Jones to do whatever it is he or she wants, including, saving brave William from his grim fate." Jack continued as James moved past Blake to stand between the two.

"You don't actually believe him, do you?" Norrington said, Jack looked at Elizabeth as if to say 'come on'. Elizabeth glanced at James and then turned to Blake. Her eyes were narrow with annoyance and Elizabeth watched her. Blake turned her gaze on her and she nodded, after all, that was all true.

Elizabeth turned back to Jack. "How do we find it?" She asked, getting a surprised look from Norrington and a grin from Jack.

Jack held his fingers up before he reached for his waist. "With this." He held up his compass, "My Compass… is unique." He admitted, opening and closing it.

"'Unique' here having the meaning of 'broken'." James believed.

"True enough. This compass does not point north."

Norrington leaned over the side to empty his stomach again.

"Where does it point?" Elizabeth asked.

"It points to the thing you want most, in this world." Jack admitted.

Elizabeth smiled and sighed looking at the device. "Oh, Jack," she breathed. "Are you telling the truth?"

"About Davy Jones and the compass?" Blake asked stepping up behind Jack and receiving a worried look from him. "Absolutely." Jack grinned at her before turning back to Elizabeth.

"Every word love." He nodded. "And what you want most in this world is to find the chest of Davy Jones, is it not?" Jack placed the compass into Elizabeth's hands, lifting both so that she cradled it.

"To save Will?" Elizabeth clarified.

Jack grinned. "By finding the heart of Davy Jones." He nodded. He looked down at the compass, slightly hopeful and unsure, before Jack opened the compass and stepped back. He had his hands raised and his hurried away as if scared he'd influence it, while Elizabeth watched him and looked back to the compass. Blake moved and stood beside her, the two of them watching the needle spin before it suddenly pointed and stayed. Elizabeth gapped before Jack rose up beside her hands and peered at the compass, leaning to the side around Elizabeth.

"Mr. Gibbs!" Jack called.

"Cap'n?" He called as he stepped off the ramp.

"We have our heading." Jack grinned.

"Finally!" Gibbs cheered. "Cast off those lines, weigh anchor, and prow that canvas!" he ordered, shouting at the ship before hurrying back onto it.

Elizabeth looked at Blake who pursed her lips. She nodded her head before moving up ramp and onto the ship. Elizabeth watched her before Jack turned to her.

"Miss Swann," Jack offered for her to board and Elizabeth followed the ombre-haired girl.

Norrington staggered forwards to also follow, but was stopped by Pintel.

"Welcome to the crew, former Commodore!" Pintel said as he shoved a goat into Norrington's arms before chuckling as he walked onto the deck.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18:

Blake led Elizabeth through the cabins of the ship and knocked on the door of the quartermaster's cabin.

"All ships have at least three seperate cabins, some have more. The captain's, which Jack obviously uses when I don't kick him out, the first mate's cabin, which I use because Gibbs prefers to sleep with the crew, and the Quartermaster's cabin, which is empty because Jack doesn't have a Quartermaster." Blake said obviously. "Will had the Quartermaster's cabin but as he's now on the _Dutchman_ it's empty for your use. He didn't bring much aboard so it's practically empty." And Blake opened the door for her.

Elizabeth gazed in, stepping through the doorway. She turned back to Blake.

"Is Davy Janes really real?" She asked.

"As real as I am." Blake grumbled.

"I thought the _Flying Dutchmen_ was a ghost ship?" Elizabeth said.

Blake smirked. "You probably thought cursed pirates and goddesses were once ghost stories too."

Elizabeth nodded, unable to deny that. Blake sighed and moved forwards to sit on the bed within the cabin. Elizabeth sat beside her.

"Davy Jones is a ghost ship, despite being real, because although there's tales of it, no one really sees it much." She said.

"How come?"

"Well, those who do see it, either are killed straight up, or proclaim servitude and join the ship's crew." Blake said.

"Why would they do that?" Elizabeth questioned.

"Davy Jones attacks ships, the survivors he offers a choice, die, or join him and stay alive for one hundred more years."

"One hundred years!?" Elizabeth asked surprised and Blake nodded. "Why?"

Blake paused thinking. "What do you know of Davy Jones?"

"Just the stories in books." Elizabeth admitted. "He's the Lord of the seas, and is thought of as the devil."

Blake nodded her head. "Sort of accurate." She admitted. "Davy Jones was once a normal sailor, well, maybe not normal, he was always a tremendously good sailor. He loved the sea more than anything. And then, one day, he met a women." She confessed and Elizabeth looked surprised.

"It was my mother."

"Calypso?" Elizabeth asked surprised and Blake nodded.

"Calypso offered Jones a gift, a wish, to sail the seas for eternity." Blake smiled, "And he agreed, but nothing comes for free. In order to have this dream, Jones had to have a purpose so that nature would allow it, to keep the balance. And so, it was Davy Jones' job to ferry the souls of those who died at sea, to the other side safely, to guide and protect their souls until they could find peace." She explained and Elizabeth was hanging on her every word. "You see Davy Jones' ship can pass between this world and the land of the dead, his ship's purpose was to take the lost souls there. He's not really alive, not really dead in that sense."

"He can go to the land of the dead?" Elizabeth whispered.

Blake nodded. "The place between these two worlds is now known as Davy Jones' locker. At least I think that's how that bit works… I never really wrapped my head completely around it." She confessed. "Anyway, Jones did his job of protecting the lost souls for ten years, before Calypso supposedly betrayed him. And so, Jones, in his rage, sort revenge. Now, he neglects his job. Instead of saving the souls, he traps them. They either serve him, die, or in the worst case, go to the locker. That's why he collects the souls, as punishment towards Calypso, who just wanted her sailors looked after."

"I didn't know a goddess cared so much." Elizabeth mumbled.

"Well, if they were brave enough to sail her seas, they deserved a better ending." Blake shrugged.

"How did Will get aboard his ship?" Elizabeth whispered.

"You're not going to like the truth." Blake warned. Elizabeth gave her a stern look anyway. "Jack sent him there."

Elizabeth looked at her surprised. "He said…"

" 'Through an unfortunate and _entirely_ unforeseeable series of circumstances that have nothing whatsoever to do with me'." Blake quoted. "I have never heard a more guilty line." She mumbled.

"Why would Jack do that?" Elizabeth asked appalled.

Blake thought, how did she explain this… "Alright, remember how I said no one really saw the ghost ship, and there were two options yes?" Elizabeth nodded. "There is another, very small minority, and that's where the tales comes from. Jack fits into this category."

"What is it?"

"Jones, being the Lord of the seas, has a sort of hold over the waters like I do." Blake admitted. "Because of this, people tend to call on his help and they make deals with him."

"Deals? With Davy Jones?" Elizabeth repeated, surprised.

"Thirteen years ago, Jack lost the _Black_ _Pearl_, he hasn't told me exactly how or why the ships is such a prized possession to him, but he asked Davy Jones to raise the _Pearl_ for him, so he could have it back. Jones in return, said that Jack could have thirteen years as Captain, before he had to join his crew for a hundred years before the mast, or, go to the locker for eternity."

"And Jack agreed!?" Elizabeth asked surprised.

"You have to remember, the first thing Jack did, was go looking for cursed treasure." Blake smirked. "Unfortunately Jack lost his ship, and therefore, any chance of holding any sway."

"But now he has the _Pearl_ back?" Elizabeth muttered.

"And so, for several months, we've been sailing the world looking for answers on how to break Jack from his deal. But, obviously, it's not easy." Blake muttered. "What Jack said about Davy Jones' heart however it true, Jones cut it out of his chest himself after Calypso's betrayal, and he locked it away from the world. If one possesses it, they control Jones, after all, it's his life, but more than that, it's the heart of his ship. The _Flying Dutchmen_ must have a living heart."

"But why did Jack send Will onto the ship? What use is that?" Elizabeth questioned.

"Anyone can get onto Davy Jones' ship if they try hard enough, or in some cases not hard at all. Getting off the ship however is an issue. All those crew members on the boat can't leave, because they've all sworn an oath to serve, they're just as bound to the _Dutchmen _as Davy Jones is. Will however, has sworn no oath, made no deal, and so he can jump ship whenever."

"So, he's not in trouble?" Elizabeth asked confused.

Blake pulled a face. "Not quite. See we have one small issue with the chest."

"Which is?"

"It requires a special key to be opened."

"Where's the key?"

"On the _Flying Dutchmen_ with Davy Jones." Blake answered simply.

"So, Jack sent Will, onto the Dutchmen to get the key?" Elizabeth asked.

"Exactly." Blake nodded. "Jack actually tricked Will slightly and sent him onto a ship wreck, luckily for Will I'm a nice person and admitted that the shipwreck was a fake."

"So Jack lied to Will too?" Elizabeth asked angrily.

"Jack told Will that if he found the key, it would help save you, which in a way wasn't wrong, because by having the key, and having the heart, we could force Jones to attack Beckett and release you. So Will went to get the key."

"I cannot believe him." Elizabeth gapped.

"You have to remember the most important things to Jack, is Jack and the _Black Pearl_."

"He's using us! After we helped him." Elizabeth glared.

"He's a scared pirate, he's scared of being on the water, he's scared of being away from the water, he doesn't want to die, but after Barbossa, he doesn't trust well." Blake said, "So instead of confessing the truth, he's manipulating."

"You're making excuses for him?"

"God no, I'm still pissed at him too." Blake scoffed.

"What did he do to you?" Elizabeth wondered confused.

"He almost told Jones I was aboard his ship."

Elizabeth looked confused. "That's bad?"

Blake nodded, taking a breath. "Davy Jones has been hunting me for years."

"Why?"

"Because I ran away."

"What? Ran away? From the Flying Dutchmen?" Elizabeth asked surprised. "You've been on it?"

"Yes."

"But I thought you couldn't run away if you were bound to the ship?"

"I'm not bound to the ship."

"Then why didn't you go to get the key instead of Will?" Elizabeth asked, slight disappointment and betrayal in her expression.

"I could have," Blake mumbled, frowning and Elizabeth looked at her expression surprised. Blake took a breath and looked up at the girl. "But if I went onto that ship, there's no doubt any of you would ever see me again."

Elizabeth's forehead furrowed. "Why?"

"Davy Jones is hunting me," she repeated. "I go on that ship, and I'm found by any of its members, and they'll likely lock me up."

"Why does he want you so badly?" Elizabeth asked.

"To punish Calypso. The goddess was bound in human form, and cannot be the sea as she should be, so by keeping me kidnapped aboard his ship, he keeps me away from her." Blake sneered. "It's all about his petty vengeance."

"It all seems rather drastic…" Elizabeth whispered, "To hunt you, cut out his heart and hold a grudge for so long, just because she disappointed him."

"What would you do, if Will disappointed you?" Blake wondered.

Elizabeth turned her gaze from Blake to the floor. And then her forehead furrowed.

"What do you mean?" Elizabeth didn't understand, why use Will and her as an example, it wasn't the same relationship as… Elizabeth gapped.

She looked at Blake who was watching her. "He loved her?"

"They loved each other." Blake corrected, "Very deeply."

"But…?"

"One of the reasons Davy Jones agreed to Calypso's terms; he got to sail the sea, sail with his Goddess, he'd do anything for her happiness."

"But if she loved him too, why did she betray him?"

"Davy Jones can only set on land once every ten years." Blake admitted. "A price for ferrying people who die everyday. He did his job for ten years, looking forward to the one day he could see Calypso again. But when he stepped on land and waited for her, she never arrived."

"Why not?" Elizabeth asked.

Blake shrugged. "It's who she is, untameable, harsh, free. She can't help who she is, Jones took it to heart, took it personally."

"And that's why he came after you?"

"I was already with him at that point." Blake shrugged, "Young, innocent, carefree, I was so excited to see my mother again."

"You were with Davy Jones as a child?"

"I lived on the _Dutchmen_, after all, couldn't really live with the sea goddess, she didn't really have a constant physical form then." Blake sighed. "Was very easy for him to take me back to his ship, and it took a while to figure out why he'd never let me near a shore, or even let me go for a swim for so long. Took me ages to figure out he was heart broken."

"I can't believe you lived on such a ship." Elizabeth whispered.

Blake shrugged. "Sailing's in my blood, I've always been on the waters." The girl got to her feet and smiled at Elizabeth in the dim light. "Anyway, it's probably about time you got some sleep, I suggest you clean the dirt from your face first though, you really do look like an urchin." Blake chuckled.

"Had to fit in somehow, I was a bit too clean otherwise." Elizabeth mumbled.

"Well, I'm impressed, given how you wanted me to be an aristocrat, now you're being a pirate."

"Sailor." Elizabeth corrected.

"Who's on the _Black Pearl_ looking for the most hunted treasure by pirates. Besides, women aren't sailors, but they can be pirates." Blake smirked. Elizabeth rolled her eyes as Blake moved for the doorway. "Sleep well Lizzie." and she closed it behind her.

Blake moved back down the hall and to the deck. The night was still black and only a few worked on the deck as everyone else slept below. She moved to the railing as the wind blew through her multi-coloured hair, taking a deep breath and looking over the black waters.

"Have a good catch up did we?" She turned as Jack walked towards her, a bottle in his hand.

"Careful, I'm still mad at you." She warned.

"Nonsense, it's impossible for you to stay mad at me." He grinned confidently. "or why would you save me from Norrington?"

"So I didn't fall to your level." She shrugged. She looked him over but he was still simply grinning at her. "You're acting very confident. Usually if I'm mad at you, you're cautious." Blake said simply. "A new tactic to get me to ignore your stupidity?"

Jack leaned closer towards her with a grin, raising his fingers to brush her soft skin. "Blake, dear, I'm sorry you don't trust me to keep you a secret, given you're my secret weapon."

"You've clearly had too much rum." Blake muttered. "You're going to deplete our stocks before we even get anywhere." She tapped the bottle as she turned to him with the back of her hand, the action making a tinging sound when her ring knocked it. "But I'm glad to know I only mean the same to you as a pistol."

"You're hardly a pistol love."

"A cannon then." She shrugged, the weapon within the metaphor did not make a difference.

"Not even close."

"Oh? Why?"

"Unlike you, they're replaceable." He grinned.

Blake rose an eyebrow at him for the compliment. It was a bit of a surprise. "Sounds like the rum talking."

"You don't believe me?"

"All I've done lately is watch you lie to everyone Jack, why am I no different?"

"You always see through it. Miss Villemaire, I tell you only the truth."

"Then you must want something." She turned to face him and he stepped closer towards her. "What is it? Not to be on the end of my anger? Or perhaps," she leaned towards him, pulling him closer at the same moment.

"Perhaps instead of shouting, you should take your so-called-anger out another way." He mumbled, pulling her into him.

"What are you implying?" She took the rum bottle from his hand before she took a swig.

"That's mine." He smirked.

Blake leaned towards him. "Then take it back." She whispered.

He rose an eyebrow at her and he noticed the slight amusement in her expression. He ran his hand down from her waist to her leg and pulled. She jumped in response, wrapping her legs around his waist. He kissed her jawline, and she smirked slightly.

"I'm still mad at you though."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19:

"What are you doing?"

Elizabeth jumped, having been standing at the railing, bending over something in her hands. Blake had come up behind her, having just exited the Captain's cabin and noticed the girl hunched over herself.

Elizabeth hurried to cover up the leather bound paper in her hand and Blake rose an eyebrow at her. Elizabeth pursed her lips guiltily. "It's nothing."

"Then why are you hiding it?"

Elizabeth wasn't sure what to answer, but under Blake's knowing gaze she sighed and held up the folded and bound leather. Blake took them from her hands and unfolded it to find Letters of Marque. She read it over and noticed at the bottom they were signed and held a very familiar seal, imprinted into dried up wax.

Blake rose her eyes to Elizabeth. "This is what Will was going to trade the compass for." Elizabeth nodded.

"What's this?" Jack reached over Blake's shoulder and snatched the Letters of Marque out of Blake's hand, much to the girl and Elizabeth's surprise. Gibbs was by his side, reading over Jack's shoulder as they reached the bottom of the page with Beckett's name on it.

"Letters of Marque." Blake said simple. "A pardon for one person."

"It was the offer Will was supposed to give Jack in exchange for the compass." Elizabeth admitted.

Jack's expression changed and Gibbs looked surprised, looking up at the two Pirate Captains and Elizabeth.

"Beckett thought he could convince Jack of such an offer?" Blake questioned, a complete look of doubt on her face as she scoffed. "No Pirate would trade their freedom to be a private and employed by the Red Coats. Even if it does take away the threat of a hanging."

"Beckett?" Gibbs asked, being more surprise by the one pulling the strings.

"Yes, they're signed." Elizabeth admitted.

Norrington was kneeling a little ways away, as the sails were in full canvas and the boat was sailing through the brilliantly sunny day. He was cleaning the Pearl's deck with many others, varnishing it in the sun, and looked up from his duty at the conversation between the three pirates and Elizabeth, listening in.

"Lord Cutler Beckett of the Eat India Trading Company."

"Bleh!" Jack flipped his tongue as though the words tasted bad, despite having not been the one to say them.

"Will was working for Beckett, and never said a word." Gibbs said, Elizabeth opened he mouth to defend her finance.

"Well, he never told you." Blake added and the two men looked at her surprised.

"You knew?" Jack asked.

"Yes." She nodded simply. Jack narrowed his eyes at her but she just winked smugly.

"Beckett wants the Compass. Only one reason for that." Gibbs knew.

"Of course." Jack said realising, "He want the chest." He looked worried.

"Like every other sailor." Blake mumbled.

"Yes he did say something about a chest." Elizabeth nodded, Jack gave her a look and she looked guilty.

"He's wanted it for years." Blake said. "Been searching everywhere with his trading company."

"How do you know?" Jack asked.

"Because he's had a warrant out for my arrest in order to have me give it to him. In one way or another."

"You have the chest?" Gibbs questioned surprised as Elizabeth looked somewhat confused.

"God no." Blake muttered. "But Beckett wants me alive for it. I suppose now he realises there's a faster way. Threaten Will, a man who defies everything for the women he loves, and he's more likely to get results." Blake glanced at Elizabeth. "Or so he thought."

"If the company controls the chest, they controls the sea." Gibbs worried, turning to Elizabeth.

"A truly discomforting notion, love." Jack added as she turned to him.

"And bad." Gibbs said into her face, surprising her slightly. "Bad for every mother's son what calls himself a pirate." Gibbs glanced up at the sails. "I think there's a bit more speed to be coaxed from these sails. Brace the foreyard!" He shouted leaving the three. Elizabeth opened her mouth again, confused by the severity of such an action, only to turn and come face to face with Jack.

"Might I inquire how as to how you came by these?" Jack asked indicating to the letters as he advanced on Elizabeth, who backed away. Blake rose an eyebrow at them.

"Persuasion." Elizabeth answered.

"Friendly?"

"Decidedly not." She stopped.

"Will strikes a deal for these and upholds it with honour. Yet you're the one standing here with the prize." Jack smirked before he turned to read for the letters. "Full pardon, commission as a privateer on behalf of England and the East India Trading Company."

Norrington looked up at the word 'pardon'.

Jack folded the letters and placed them in his jacket, beginning to walk away from the woman and past Blake. "As if I could be bought for such a low price."

"Jack, the letters, give them back." Elizabeth said urgently, following.

"No." Jack said stopping, glancing a her behind him. She looked surprised. "Persuade me." He said with a smirk. Elizabeth sighed before leaning forward over his shoulder.

"You do no Will taught me how to handle a sword?" She asked, speaking lowly in his ear.

Jack looked disappointed.

"Like I said. Persuade me." Jack repeated turning to face her. Elizabeth contemplated it, biting her lip, before she looked annoyed and turned around to walk off. Jack watched her go smugly before he frowned slightly at her.

"Well," Blake smirked. "What are you going to do with a pardon Jack?"

"Nothing, I just like watching her." Jack grinned.

"Then I suggest you either give them back, or lock them away."

"Away from what?" Jack questioned.

Blake rose an amused eyebrow. "Elizabeth stole them from Beckett, you don't think she'll steal them from you?" Jack turned to look after the girl on the other side of the deck where Norrington had approached her. "Not only that," Blake watched Norrington, "but I'm sure I can think of one crew member who would want them desperately."

"You're not going to ask for them?" Jack muttered.

Blake gave him a look like he was mad. He looked surprised before he grinned guiltily and she turned away from him.

Norrington walked away from Elizabeth with a smug look on his face, leaving the girl looking defiant. Elizabeth grabbed and lifted up the compass Jack had given her to find the chest, looking unsure as she bit her lip. It was still pointing in the direction they were heading, but as she watched, the needle suddenly turned and pointed in the opposite direction as it had previously. Elizabeth looked up, looking in the direction it was pointing to see Jack up by the helm. He was looking over the waters with his spyglass before closing it. Elizabeth looked from Jack to the compass appalled before snapping the compass shut in irritation. She bit her lip and glanced back at the captain.

"Oh wow, I know that look." Elizabeth jumped and glanced to her side to see Blake, her face alight and excited.

"Blake!" She snapped at the girl creeping up on her.

"Sorry, force of habit." Blake shrugged, but she was still looking amused.

Elizabeth looked her over before avoiding the ombre-haired girl's gaze. "What look?" She muttered, putting the compass away.

"Lust." Blake leaned on the railing beside the girl.

"Don't be silly." Elizabeth said weakly.

Blake rose an eyebrow. "Currently directed towards a certain pirate captain by the looks of it." She had a teasing look on her face.

"Don't be silly."

"Lizzie, you don't have to fret, I'm not going to tell anyone, or question it, but I may tease you a little." Blake smirked.

"I don't feel anything for him. I love Will." Elizabeth said, but she wasn't convincing Blake.

"Lizzie, just cause you are momentarily attracted to Jack, doesn't mean you love Will less." Blake assured. "I can't blame you for being tempted."

"Why not?"

"Well I get it too." Blake shrugged as she sat herself on the railing. Elizabeth looked surprised and the ombre-haired girl shrugged. "What? I'm a women, constantly on the sea and always surrounded by men. Plus, I'm a pirate, am I not allowed to indulge?" She turned to look at Jack. "Besides, it's fun." She grinned.

Elizabeth was still gapping at her. "You and Jack?"

Blake shrugged again.

"It's not as big a deal as you seem to make it out to be Lizzie." She chuckled. Elizabeth frowned and glanced at the ocean, purposely avoiding the helm where Jack was.

"Suppose its different for pirates." She mumbled. "But for me… I feel dishonest."

Blake nodded, pausing in thought. "Well, you haven't actually done anything." She reminded her.

"No…" Elizabeth was still frowning. She then sighed. "It just reminds me of how my marriage was interrupted though." Elizabeth walked past Blake and towards the to steps to the helm, sitting herself down on it.

"Yeah, Will told me about that." Blake frowned as she sat beside the girl. "I'm really sorry Lizzie."

Elizabeth shook her head, an irritated look on her face. "Will gladly punish Beckett for that."

"How?" Lizzie mumbled.

"Haven't decided yet." Blake confessed.

Jack had removed his hat and coat, having vanished into his cabin for a spell, and came walking out of it towards the two women, a bottle of rum in his hand. Blake spotted him first and then her eyes drifted downwards to the still corked bottle. She held her hand out for it. He rose an eyebrow at her and she simply returned it. Jack rolled his eyes and handed her the bottle, in response Blake moved up a step for Jack to sit in front of her.

"My tremendous intuitive sense of the female creature informs me that you are troubled." He said looking at Elizabeth. Blake chuckled after swallowing her mouthful of rum and Jack took the bottle back, giving her an annoyed look.

Elizabeth glanced at him and he raised his eyebrow.

Elizabeth glanced over the deck with a disappointed expression on her face. "I just thought I'd be married by now. I'm so ready to be married." She muttered, Jack didn't understand such a feeling, and he turned away not sure what to say. Instead he offered her the rum bottle. She glanced at it with an annoyed look, but took it, taking a swing. Jack eyed the bottle before an idea came to his mind.

"You know…" he moved to sit slightly closer to her, clearing his throat, "Lizzie…" Elizabeth glanced at him, her eyebrows furrowed at his change in demeanour while Blake rose an eyebrow at him. "I am… captain of a ship." He indicated to it and Elizabeth's eyes swept the deck. "And being captain of a ship, I could in fact perform a… marriage." He looked at her. "Right here. Right on this deck. Right… now!" He leaned towards her and Elizabeth gave him a look. Blake snorted and then started laughing, while Elizabeth simply shoved the rum back into his hand.

"No thank you." She said before standing up and moving away.

Jack looked at her confused. "Why not?" He followed her, glancing back at Blake who was cackling. Jack grabbed a rope connected to the rigging behind the girl while Elizabeth looked over the railing to the sea, leaning on it. "We are very much alike, you and I. I and you. Us."

"Oh. Except for a sense of honour, and decency and-and a moral centre." She turned to look him over her shoulder. "And personal hygiene." She insulted. Jack leaned down, raising an arm to smell his armpits before turning to her.

"Trifles." He moved to her side. "You will come over to my side, I know it." He smirked.

"You seem very certain." She said.

"One word love; curiosity." He said leaning towards her. "You long for freedom. You long to do what you want to do because you want it." Elizabeth glanced at him in the corner of her eye. "To act on selfish impulse. You want to see what it's like." He grinned as she turned to him. "One day, you won't be able to resist." He said standing tall and confidently.

Elizabeth just stared at him for a moment. "Why doesn't you compass work?" She suddenly wondered, ignoring his comment.

Jack's smirk vanished as the question caught him off guard. "My compass works fine." He said, but looked down with a look of doubt on his expression. He went to turn away before Elizabeth continued.

"Because you and I are alike, and there will come a moment when you have a chance to show it. To do the right thing." She said in return.

"I love those moments. I like to wave at them as they pass by." Jack walked along the railing and waved out to the sea with a grin.

Elizabeth moved around the cannon now separating them to lean on the railing beside him. "You'll have the chance to do something… something courageous. And when you do, you'll discover something," Jack turned to her, "that you're a good man." She convinced.

"All evidence to the contrary." Jack disagreed, grinning.

"Oh I have faith in you." She smiled looking at the waters before turning her back on it to face him. "Want to know why?" She lifted her chin towards him.

"Do tell, dearie." He smiled.

"Curiosity." She answered, Jack stopped as she gazed up at him. "You're going to want it." She leaned closer to him and Jack slowly turned to glance at her. "A chance to be admired." His eyes glanced at her lips. "And gain the rewards that follow. You won't be able to resist." She smiled, glancing at his lips as she spoke to him softly. "You're going to want to know… what it tastes like."

Jack's eyes widened before he turned to her, standing very closely. "I do want to know what it tastes like."

Blake watched the two with amusement before something caught her attention off the railing. She got up and walked across the deck. Off the port side, across the clear blue Caribbean water, was a large island, covered in trees and forest inland. The tide was currently out and lots of sand sat between them and the greenery. In the distance, Blake knew, there were ruins, once the home to people, a church, a village.

Isla Cruces.

It was always a cursed island, named the Island of Crosses, as the Church of England came to the island, bringing salvation, disease and death.

It was the perfect hiding place, an Island no one ever dared to step foot upon in case of catching the plague from one of the corpses. All were buried on the island, having been done so by the priest, before he hung himself.

Blake hadn't been here for centuries. Not since she'd buried that chest.

"Land Ho!" Gibbs called out, noticing the island and the crew all moved to the railing with Blake, looking at the island. Elizabeth joined them and someone grabbed Blake's arm, pulling her away from the others.

It was Jack.

"Blake." He had a worried look on his face. His fist was held up by his face and she glanced at it. "I want my jar of dirt." He declared.

Blake looked confused, looking back at his hand. At first she didn't understand, but she felt it, she looked back at his fist and grit her teeth. She knew why he was fretting.

"But the three days aren't up…? Usually he keeps his deals?" She muttered as Jack turned and hurried away from her for his jar. "Why would he break it…?"

Because he realised what they were up to. It was the only option. Had Will spilled? Or succeeded?

Blake turned to the island, they had to hurry.

But what were they going to do when they found it? Jack wanted to use it to tell Jones to go away, but then what? What would they do with the heart after that?


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20:

"Captain Villemaire." Blake turned at her name and saw Norrington beside her.

"James?" She returned.

"You're being summoned." He nodded his head and she turned to see Jack, clutching his jar of dirt, climbing into the long boat with Elizabeth. Pintel and Ragetti were lowering it while Gibbs was barking orders.

"Right." She muttered and she headed over to the boat. She stopped beside Gibbs. "Gibbs, keep to the uttermost shallows." She warned. He looked worried and nodded before Blake moved and stepped off the edge of the ship for the long boat below, surprising Jack, Elizabeth and Pintel who were already there.

Norrington and Ragetti joined the four before they pushed away from the _Pearl_ and the two ex-cursed pirates began to row. The _Pearl _moved from their sights slightly, around the island.

Pintel and Ragetti were at crosses it seemed and they were taking longer to get to the shore than necessary.

"You're pullin' too fast." Pintel complained.

"You're pulling too slow." Ragetti disagreed. "We don't want the Kraken to catch us." Jack glanced back at them behind him, uncomfortable as to the topic.

Blake rolled her eyes.

"I'm savin' me strength for when it comes." Pintel snapped as Jack bent his head low over his jar of dirt, still clutched to his chest. "And I don't think it's Krack-en, anyways. I always heard it said Kray-kin."

"What, with a long 'A'?" Ragetti asked.

"Uhuh." Pintel nodded

"No-no-no-no-no-no-no. Krock-en's how it's pronounced in the original Scandinavian, and Krack-en's closer to that." Ragetti disagreed, Elizabeth and Norrington shared a glance.

"Well we ain't original Scandinavians, are we?" Pintel rolled his eyes. "Kray-ken!"

"It's a mythological creature, I can calls it what I wants." Ragetti replied. Jack glanced at them uncomfortably before looking at the land before them.

With the tide out they hit the shore and pulled the long boat up before getting close to the dry sandy beach. Jack removed his jacket and left it in the longboat, with his jar of dirt, while he and Norrington each grabbed a shovel, and Blake looked over the island. Elizabeth pulled the compass out from where she'd attached it to her waist.

"You won't need that." Blake said and Elizabeth looked from her to the compass confused.

"Then how will we find it?"

"Because I'm the one who buried it." Blake admitted before she set off across the sand, Elizabeth gapping at her. She closed the compass and followed the half-goddess.

"Guard the boat, mind the tide… Don't touch my dirt." Jack ordered as Norrington followed the two girls, Jack bringing up the rear and leaving Pintel and Ragetti with the longboat.

They walked over the sand dunes, Blake leading the way, walking across sand and through shallow water, away from Pintel and Ragetti who faded off into the distance. Jack had the shovel over his shoulder as he followed her, Elizabeth and Norrington falling behind slightly. They rose a sand dune, walking across the pale white sand before Blake suddenly stopped.

Everyone stopped as she did, Jack giving Norrington the second shovel before the three watched her. Blake paused, and then took a few steps backwards and looked down at her feet. She glanced over the sand between a few mounds with greenery growing from them, before kneeling down. She looked over the pale white sand before she brushed the grains on top lightly, feeling.

Jack stood on a sand mound to her right, looking back towards the ocean, while Norrington had a shovel over his shoulder and was watching Blake. Elizabeth pulled the compass out and looked at it before gazing back at Blake.

Blake looked up at Jack and as if sensing her gaze he turned to her. His eyes narrowed slightly before she nodded and pat the sand.

Jack whistled to Norrington and pointed to the sand. With a disgruntled expression on his face, Norrington planted one of the shovels upright into the sand and took the other one over to the spot. Blake stood up and stepped back as Norrington approached her, taking the shovel before beginning to dig.

Norrington dug by himself, Elizabeth watching him with apprehension, while Jack sat himself down on the sand in a meditation pose. Blake watched Norrington before she suddenly spun around. Jack turned to her as she suddenly hurried along the sand. She could feel a restlessness, an unnaturalness. She looked over the distant ocean, the blue waters calm, lapping at the shore calmly, but she knew what it was, she knew it was wrong. She turned back to Jack who was watching her with a hard and somewhat worried look on her face.

He was here.

There was a thud and Blake turned back to Norrington behind her, Jack did the same, while Elizabeth stopped biting her nail and Norrington looked up at them. Jack, Norrington and Elizabeth all walked forwards and leaned down over the hole, before crouching down. Beginning to wipe the sand off a wooden chest, they then reached into the sand and found the handles to heave it out of the hole. Jack grabbed the shovel and with a thrust, he broke off the padlock. All three kneeled beside it as the lid was opened.

Blake stood behind them all as the three gazed over the chest's contents. It was filled with mounds of papers. Love letters Blake knew, sent between Jones and Calypso. Books, fabric, parchment all littered the chest, Jones' feelings locked away as much as possible. Elizabeth picked up a sealed and folded letter with interest. She opened it, as the seal was already broken, reading over the words. She glanced back at Blake who had a hard expression on her face.

Jack however was brushing all the letters away, not caring about them, or the books, before finding a smaller black chest. He ran his fingers over the top before grabbing the sides and pulling it out. It was intricately carved with a special lock, the base of which was in the shape of a heart with two key holes. Norrington and Elizabeth turned from the letters to the smaller chest. They eyed the black chest before leaning in slowly, their ears to the chest. A thump sounded from within and the three sat up surprised, looking at the chest.

"It's real." Elizabeth muttered.

"You actually were telling the truth." Norrington said to Jack.

"I do that quite a lot, yet people are always surprised." Jack said.

"With good reason." The three turned around, Blake spinning on her toes, to find Will, dripping wet, standing on the sand behind them, panting slightly.

Elizabeth looked up in surprise before she beamed.

"Will!" She breathed, scrambling to her feet and running towards her fiancé. Norrington got to his feet while Jack looked around suspicious, rising as well. "You're alright!" Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his neck as Jack look worried, he turned to Blake and she looked slyly at him. "Thank god." The two embraced before Elizabeth beamed at him. "I came to find you!" She slammed her lips to his and Will gladly kissed her back. Norrington averted his gaze with a frown while Jack's eyes darted around the horizon, confused.

"How did you get here?" He asked as the two broke apart.

"Sea turtles mate." Will answered, his arms tightly around Elizabeth. "A pair of them strapped to my feet."

"Not so easy is it." Jack smirked.

"But I do owe you thanks Jack." Will confessed.

"You do?"

"After you tried to trick me onto that ship to square your debt with Jones," Will began and Elizabeth looked at Jack shocked as the pirate looked worried, his lip twitching.

"What?" Elizabeth demanded.

"What?" repeated Jack, before he frowned guiltily, glancing at Blake who had crossed her arms, then turning his gaze to Norrington who raised an eyebrow at the pirate.

"I was reunited with my father." Will finished.

"Ah. Well, you're welcome then." Jack smiled. He then paused. "Wait tried?"

"Blake tipped me off to your deception." Will confused and Jack gapped at her.

"I also told Elizabeth you tried to trick Will onto the ship."

"You said nothing about him giving Will up to settle his debt!" Elizabeth snapped at Blake, releasing Will and walking towards Jack.

"He told me he wouldn't leave Will on Jones' ship." Blake admitted.

"And you believed him?"

"I gave him the benefit of the doubt."

Will pulled an old string out from around his neck, slipping it off, and walked towards the chest as Elizabeth glared at Jack.

"Time and tide love." Jack shrugged in his defence.

There was the ringing of a blade being removed from its sheath, and the two pirates turned to see Will kneeling beside the chest, a two pronged key in one hand and a dagger in another.

"Oi, what are you doing?" Jack questioned as Blake's forehead furrowed, Will turning the chest around so he could access the lock.

"I'm going to kill Jones." Will said.

"No you're not." Blake found herself saying as Jack's hand went for his sword. He turned to Blake as everyone else did. The half-goddess herself was rather surprised she'd said such words.

Will turned to Blake behind him, confused. "I thought you hated him."

"I can't let you kill him."

"Why not?"

"Killing Jones won't do you any good that's why. Now put the knife down."

"I can't Blake."

Blake grit her teeth. As much as she hated her father, she wasn't about to let him be killed, that wouldn't solve anything. Besides, the _Dutchmen_ must always have a heart, if Jones' was gone, someone's would need to replace it.

Blake found her hand on her sword and she drew it to point at Will. Elizabeth gapped and Jack grinned at her action.

"Will, put the knife down." She said again.

"My father is on that ship, Blake, trapped and bound to the _Dutchmen_." Will said back to her.

"Killing Jones isn't the best solution." Blake assured.

"I don't have a choice." Will believed.

Jack drew his sword now, as Will refused to back down, and pointed it at the Blacksmith alone with Blake.

"I can't let you do that William." He confessed as Elizabeth looked at him surprised too. "Cause if Jones is dead, who's to call his terrible beastie off the hunt, eh?"

Norrington's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at Jack. Will looked from the sword at his neck to Blake, to Jack, before he released the small chest slowly, got to his feet, and backed away from it, putting the dagger back to his belt.

"Killing Jones won't free your father, it'll only condemn you." Blake said softly. Will was looking at her, to her sword and to Jack.

"Now if you please. The key." Jack extended his hand for it as Will backed up between Blake and Elizabeth. He looked at Jack's sword as Blake lowered hers, as Norrington watched him. There seemed to be a pause, where Jack lowered his sword as well, before Will suddenly reached and drew Elizabeth's sword from her waist and pointed it back at Jack.

"I keep the promises I make Jack." He informed. "I intend to free my father. I hope you're here to see it."

Norrington was the one to draw his sword next, pointing it at Will. "I can't let you do that either." He confessed. "So sorry." He mocked.

"I knew you'd warm up to me." Jack grinned taking a step towards Norrington. The former commodore moved his sword to point at Jack as Will moved his to point at Norrington, cutting it across Blake. Feeling left out Jack raised his to Will to complete the circle.

Elizabeth was gapping at all three of them, while Blake leaned back to avoid Will's sword at her chest.

"Lord Becket desires the contents of that chest. I deliver it, I get my life back." James said simply.

"Are you nuts?" Blake demanded, her hand tightening on her blade. "Give Beckett the heart and everyone's doomed, and dead." Norrington glanced at her fleetingly but had no answer for her, after all, he, being a former commodore, could not see how the Navy was in the wrong.

"Ah. The dark side of ambition." Jack smirked.

"Oh I prefer to see it as the promise of redemption." Norrington answered the pirate's smirk with his own, before he turned to swing the sword at Blake and Will. Blake ducked as Norrington's sword hit Will's and both went over the girl's head, who rolled towards the chest on the sand. Will stumbled backwards and Elizabeth hurried out of his way with a gasp to avoid the three as Jack attacked at Will also and the Blacksmith fought off both men.

Will blocked Norrington, ducked Jack's sword and ran between the two of them. Norrington attacked Jack, who blocked, while Will headed for Blake by the chest. She rose her hand and Will rose his sword. Blake moved, blocked the sword, and her palm went into Will's chest to send him flying sideways. He looked at Blake who's eyes were steely grey and her expression disappointed, hurt and angry.

"Stop it!" Elizabeth called. Jack and Norrington ran at Will and Blake, and the girl returned defence as Will turned and moved further away. As Will had the key in his hand, the Pirate and Former Commodore left Blake and went after the Blacksmith, who turned to engage them both again.

Elizabeth ran after them, standing in front of Blake and the Chest, watching the three, gasping and gapping at their behaviour. Will blocked Norrington, then Jack, and grabbed Norrington's wrist with the sword in his hand, holding them both off. He pushed on Norrington's arm, using his weight against him and Norrington stumbled across the uneven sand between Will and Jack. Jack removed his sword from against Will's, ducked, and grabbed the key from Will and ran past the Blacksmith. He turned to stave off Norrington's sword before turning to run as Norrington turned to Will. Will ducked before Norrington kicked him in the chest and to the floor.

"Will!" Elizabeth ran forwards as Norrington ran off after Jack, who had his hands flailing around him in his usual manner when he was running away. "Will!" Elizabeth collapsed to her knees beside her fiancé and he turned to her.

"Guard the chest." He got to his feet and ran off after the other two, leaving Elizabeth there gapping.

"No!" She snapped back before chasing them as well. "This is barbaric!" She shouted as Jack and Norrington engaged while running and Will hurried to join, the three moving further away from the girl. "This is no way for grown men to solve—" Elizabeth shouted off after them as Will joined in the sword fight, the three walking in circles as their swords clashed. Blake sighed and sheathed her sword as Elizabeth shrieked at them. "Oh fine! Let's just pull out our swords and start banging away at each other. That will solve everything!" The boys ignored her, continuing to bang and clang their swords together, stumbling over the uneven sand. "I've had it! I've had it with wobbly legged, rum-soaked, pirates!" Elizabeth bellowed at the top of her lungs.

Ragetti came running up behind her as she shouted at the three, Pintel behind him. Blake shook her head as Elizabeth bent down to the sand and began to throw rocks towards the three in her frustration. The ombre-haired girl turned back to the chest, walking around to sit in front of it. She moved the black chest, holding her father's cursed heart, to her side on the sand and picked up a letter.

"This is madness!" The sword clangs and Elizabeth's shouts reached Blake as she read her mother's handwriting. The emotion within these letters was mind blowing, given how sour it had all gone, just because of one missed date.

"Enough!" Blake looked up at Elizabeth's cry only to see two heads rising over the mound she was on. Pintel and Ragetti came to an abrupt stop and Blake rose an eyebrow.

"Weren't you supposed to be watching the boat?" She asked carefully.

They shared a look.

"We came to tell you we saw a ship." Ragetti rushed.

"A ship?"

"It went down under the ocean." Pintel nodded.

Blake pursed her lips and dropped the letters in her hands, standing to her feet. "That would be the _Flying Dutchmen_." The two shared another look, glancing at the chest at Blake's feet as she bent down to pick it up. She noticed them turn from the chest, to her and to one another. "Something else?"

Pintel and Ragetti shared a grin before pulling out their swords at her. Blake rose an eyebrow.

"We think its best we remove the chest, after all, its sent those three into madness."

"You think you have a right to take this from me?" Blake demanded. The two looked unsure as her expression was harsh, daring. They didn't lower their weapons however and Blake put the chest down to draw one of her swords again. "Take your best shot boys."

They hesitated before charging forwards and engaging her. Blake drew the second sword and the weapons clashed, sand being kicked everywhere. Blake defended, attacked, moving accordingly before both boys struck down on her and then suddenly drew back. Blake had been moved back from the chest and the two pirates, knowing they couldn't beat her, turned, hurried the small distance back to the chest, to pick up the heart and suddenly run off with it back towards Elizabeth and the battling threesome.

Blake gapped. "Hey!" She shouted, sheathing her swords and running after them.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21:

Pintel and Ragetti, one hand each on the small chest and carrying it between them, ran behind Elizabeth, who was now sitting cross legged and annoyed on the sand, watching Jack, Will and Norrington circling each other off in the distance.

Elizabeth turned to the two as they passed her, surprised. She looked back at the three men as Blake hurried past her as well before Elizabeth got up and ran after the three and the chest.

"Blake!" Elizabeth called and the girl turned to her behind her, coming to a stop.

"Hurry up!" Blake said as Elizabeth reached her.

"Wait!" Blake paused and Elizabeth looked at her. "Why don't you want Jones to be killed?"

"It's a long story." Blake said and she went to hurry after Pintel and Ragetti.

"He's your father isn't he." Elizabeth said and Blake turned back to her, a surprised look on her face.

"How do you know that?"

"Well, he was in love with Calypso wasn't he?" Elizabeth muttered.

Blake took a breath. "Yes, he's my father."

"And he's still hunting you?"

"Anything to spite my mother. He doesn't care about me Lizzie." She turned and moved through the shrubs, Elizabeth following her. "Doesn't mean I should stand aside and let Will kill him."

"But you're helping Jack."

"All Jack wants is to have the Kraken called off from hunting him. After that I could easily take the heart and hide it somewhere." Blake said. "But I can't let Will kill him, nor can I let Beckett control the seas."

Elizabeth frowned.

"First, we need to get it black though." She said. "Before Jones' crew turns up."

"What?"

"How do you think Will got here? The _Flying Dutchmen_'s somewhere off shore. Pintel and Ragetti saw it."

Elizabeth looked worried, but she nodded as they hurried through the trees. Pintel and Ragetti had disappeared amongst them and Elizabeth was looking around with a frown to try and find them.

"How do we find them?"

"This way." Blake said and she led the way through the coconut trees. Elizabeth didn't question how the ombre-haired girl knew where she was going.

The two girls suddenly jumped as there was a giant gong sound that banged and echoed through the forest. They came to an abrupt halt.

"What was that?" Elizabeth asked as Blake was looking in the noises direction.

"There's a church on this island. The boys must be there." Blake thought before she scowled. "The idiots! They're going to give our position away!" She snapped.

Elizabeth looked both worried and annoyed as Black huffed and looked through the trees for the chest and the thieves that took it. She had to get the chest, and then she had to get it away from here, and away from the boys. What was she thinking? Leading so many people to it?

The two girls continued to run through the trees until Blake saw the movement of the dirty dark fabric of the two pirates, and the gleaming black of the chest between them.

"We got it, we got it!" She heard their voices as they cackled.

She narrowed her eyes and hurried, Elizabeth struggling to keep up wth her. The two pirates were snickering to each other, glancing behind them as Blake came in from the side, suddenly skidding to a stop in front of them and making them freeze, worried looks on their faces.

"That doesn't belong to you!" She said as Elizabeth stepped in beside her. She grinned at the two, shaking her head before reaching for her sword. Elizabeth paused and looked down, everyone noticing her sword was gone.

Elizabeth gapped and looked at the two before turning to Blake. The two pirates grinned, and dropped the chest. Pintel and Ragetti both drew their swords superiorly. "Hello poppet." Pintel teased.

Blake took a set back and Elizabeth looked surprised, stumbling backwards with her and away from the two pirates before there was a clanging noise.

The four stopped as an old wooden mill wheel suddenly rolled through the trees beside them. Will and Norrington were running on its top, still engaged in a sword fight, while Jack was running at full speed behind it, trying to catch up.

Blake, Elizabeth, Pintel and Ragetti all gapped at the scene as they disappeared through the trees. Ragetti turned to Pintel who shrugged, both turned back to the girls, where Elizabeth looked worried. Blake however suddenly launched forwards, cartwheeled between the two pirates and picked the chest up as she returned to her feet. The two pirates turned to her, advancing towards her before there was a soaring noise and they all turned as a hatchet suddenly embedded itself into a tree near Elizabeth.

Cries and shouts sounded and they all looked up to see a bunch of people running through the trees towards them, but they weren't any ordinary people, they were covered in slime, barnacles, starfish, coral, broken old rotting parts of ships, as they held axes, swords, fish bones and cannon balls on chains for weapons.

"Shit!" Blake swore at the sight of Jones' crew.

Elizabeth now backed away from the _Flying Dutchmen_'s crew and towards Pintel and Ragetti, who both shoved their swords into her hands and turned to run towards Blake. The girl turned and Pintel and Ragetti reached to pull the chest from her hands as Elizabeth, looking shocked at the swords suddenly in her hands, turned to run after the three.

Glancing constantly backwards at the fish crew gaining on them Elizabeth, the closest to the oncoming assault, screamed, while Pintel and Ragetti ran on either side of a tree. The chest held between them hit the trunk and was yanked from their hands, falling to the ground. Blake, Elizabeth, Pintel and Ragetti all came to a stop and gapped at the chest, now unprotected on the ground, to the oncoming crew.

Blake pulled both her swords out and Elizabeth backed up beside her. Ragetti and Pintel, having no weapon to fight back with, retreated behind the two girls.

Blake glared at the crew and those in front looked at her shocked, coming to an immediate halt before her, which stopped everyone behind them. Blake stood her ground as the Chest stood between her and the _Flying Dutchmen_'s crew, all of which began to cackle as they looked her over.

"Well, well, look what we have here." The crew-member had a hammerhead shark's head, eyes at the front and the sides as he exposed sharp, shark-like teeth when he grinned. "Blake Villemaire."

Blake looked over the crew as they were all snickering and whispering to one another at the sight of her. Pintel and Ragetti stayed behind her as Elizabeth glanced at her.

"You better all turn around and leave before I slice you all to smithereens." Blake's voice cut like acid and sent a shiver down Elizabeth's spine. Some of the fish crew took a step back as her eyes were dark grey like thunderclouds.

The hammerhead only snickered. "Miss Jones, you think you can take us all on?"

"Any day." She returned.

Many of his comrades laughed with him before they launched forwards at the group. Blake took her stance and then dove forwards, avoiding a hatchet and engaging with several opponents while Elizabeth rose her arms, crossing the swords in her hands to block a weapon from striking her, protecting Pintel and Ragetti behind her as she did.

Blake was surrounded before she made a kick that sent two men flying and she managed to duck out from the huddle of cursed pirates. Elizabeth, Ragetti and Pintel however were moving through the trees, and exchanging the two swords between the three of them.

Ragetti was tripped up by a change and cannon balls, protected himself, before Elizabeth shouted for a sword.

"Sword!"

"Sword!"

Elizabeth caught one and threw the other to Pintel, who sliced the chest of a pirate with a wheel of a ship through his body. Elizabeth stopped running and turned to stab another pirate.

"Sword!" Elizabeth threw hers to Ragetti who ducked behind a tree before cutting off the arm of one. Blake tumbled her way beneath a sword, brandished hers to take down two crew members before she summersaulted over to Elizabeth, blocking a sword from hitting her.

"I think you could use this." Blake said and she handed one of the swords to Elizabeth. The former aristocrat grinned and took it before Blake pushed herself to her feet, defended against a few fish, only to pause.

Through the chaos, there was a sailor with a shell around his head, covering half of his face and covered in barnacles. He was looking towards his fighting crewmates, but in his hands was the Dead Man's Chest. He grinned before turning and running.

"No!" Blake pushed her opponent away before she sheathed her sword, clasped her hands together and jumped, smashing her hands into the ground to send a giant thrust of wind away from her. Everyone, including Elizabeth, Pintel and Ragetti, were blown off their feet. Blake took the distraction as her chance and she moved off away from the fight scene, through the trees and after the shell-headed crew member.

He ran, both hands on the chest between the trees and Blake grit her teeth before a coconut suddenly came flying through the air and hit the shell head. The girl came to a rapid stop in surprise. The crew member was knocked off his feet, but more so, his head was knocked from his shoulders. The chest hit the ground with a thud.

Blake turned and saw Jack through the trees, no longer chasing the mill wheel, and with a glance around, it seemed Norrington and Will were no where nearby.

The head of the crew member was shouting out, speaking Spanish as his body got to its feet. "Follow my voice, follow my voice."

Jack however moved for the chest and Blake hurried forwards. He heard her footsteps and turned, pulling out his sword to point it at her. She stopped and looked at it.

"Really?"

He was looking at her unsurely, wearily. "You're not going to attack me are you?"

"Are you trying to kill my father or give Beckett control of the entire seas?" Blake returned.

Jack seemed as though he didn't understand the question. "No?"

"Then no." Blake pushed the sword out of her way and kneeled down beside the chest, sitting it upright on the ground.

Jack crouched beside her and rose a hand to show the key, with two prongs and a circle at the end. The leather strap it had been connected to, was now gone.

"You got it." Blake mumbled.

"Wasn't easy."

"I noticed."

The headless body was stumbling around behind them as the head tried to direct it, before it crashed into a tree. "No, that's a tree."

"Oh shut it." Jack muttered.

He put the key into the lock, and turned. There were several clicks, the lock sprang apart slightly, a ring around it turned and several metal blocks shot out from base of the lid, before it was silent. Jack released the key and he and Blake shared a look, before he reached and pulled the lid slowly upwards.

It was there, in the corner of the chest, red, pink, orange, thumping up and down and slightly slimy. Blake frowned at it, the sight always brought her a sort of pain.

Jack reached into the chest and grabbed the organ, lifting it up. He gazed at it as the thing thumped in his hand before shouts and clanging sounded. Blake looked up and before them was Elizabeth, Pintel and Ragetti, the crew of the _Flying Dutchmen_ still chasing them. Blake hit Jack as she got to her feet and the pirate put the heart inside his vest, and slammed the chest shut. The metal blocks retreated back into the chest as Jack turned and ran off.

"Blake!" The girl looked up to see the sword she'd given Elizabeth flying through the air towards her, which she caught. Pintel and Ragetti both threw their swords to Elizabeth, who caught them before they reached Blake.

Elizabeth stopped and blocked a couple of hatchets before she swiped at the two crew members stomachs. She turned around only to flip the swords under her arms and stab backwards into the chests of the two current attackers.

Blake grinned as she sheathed her sword, while Pintel and Ragetti reached her, leaning down to pick up the now empty chest between them.

The four turned, running back through the forest and for the beach, the fish-men all chasing them, and more importantly, the Dead Man's chest.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22:

The beach came into sight, along with the water which had now washed inland more. Pintel and Ragetti still had the chest, using it to bash and fight off their chasers, while Elizabeth had broke off to defend herself. Blake saw Jack by the long boat, fighting off another crewmen with an ore.

Jack was battering off his opponent while Elizabeth was engaged by several, her two swords swinging, clashing and brandishing. Blake pulled one sword out and pulled her pistol out with the other hand. The gun shot made everyone jump, some even duck before Blake was swung at by an eel headed crew member.

"He'll be mighty proud today, a heart and a daughter all at once!" The eel sneered at her.

"If you think you can beat me, you're sorely mistaken!" She stomped her foot and the crew member went shooting upwards for Blake to aim at him and fire her pistol. He landed back with a crash and a splash, not to move again.

Something then came blasting through the trees and went right in front of Elizabeth, past Blake and swashed half off Jones' crewmen.

It was the Mill wheel. It squashed its victims right down into the sand. Everyone gapped and watched as the wooden structure began to slow down, wobble, and then topple sideways into the foot deep water.

Jones' crewmen ignored the random occurrence and Blake and Elizabeth were engaged again.

A hand emerged from within the wheel and Will pulled himself out, a sword in one hand. Beside him another figure emerged before Norrington heaved himself onto the side of the wheel, while Will, trying to climb out, toppled off and into the shallow sea water. Norrington did the same, crashing with a splash. Both seemed to be rather disorientated.

Will got to his feet and saw Elizabeth engaged in battle and he rose his sword. "Right." Will took one step and toppled over.

Norrington however got to his feet, and seemed to have gained his bearings a lot quicker than Will. He looked at Jack, who's back was to him and the Longboat that stood between the two. Will tried to get up again, only to face plant back into the water, while Norrington ran for the boat.

Pintel and Ragetti slammed the chest into a crewmen's chest, leaving him lying on the floor, before they ran for the longboat. Norrington was adjusting his coat when they reached him, the pirates throwing the chest into the boat while Norrington ran to join in the fray.

With the chest in the boat, Ragetti and Pintel shared a laugh and went to push the long boat out, willing to leave the others behind, only for Will to step into their way. He rose his sword with a grin at them. The two pirates grinned back and reached to their holsters, only there were no sword handles there, they'd given the weapons to Elizabeth. Will smirked at them and they both shrugged with an innocent smile before they reached desperately into the boat. Pintel grabbed a net and Ragetti an ore.

"Come on then Turner!" Pintel shouted. Will simply shook his head, before he looked down and noticed the key was sticking out of the lock on the chest. His smile dropped.

Shouts sounded and Pintel and Ragetti turned to the crewmen, who with Norrington, Elizabeth and Blake were getting closer to the boat.

Blake glanced at the longboat behind them and at all the crew members advancing and she kicked her opponent through the air and sheathed her sword. "Right."

Blake planting her feet and rose her arms. She flicked her wrists and the crew of the _Flying Dutchmen_ were all blasted off of their feet, away from the lot of them, back towards the beach. Pintel, Elizabeth and Ragetti all gapped at it before Blake snapped them out of it.

"We need to do something." Blake said as the water settled and the crew members all landed in the water and once the daze of the sudden attack passed, began to get back to their feet.

"Into the longboat?" Elizabeth offered.

"They're fish men Lizzie." Blake reminded her, "Mix them with water, they have the upper hand." The men were running at them again, their weapons raised.

Will rounded the longboat behind them and picked up the chest, looking at the key in it. Jack glanced at him and turned around, ore in hand, only to knock Will in the back of the head with it. Elizabeth gasped and moved to him as he was slumped over the side of the boat, checking him worriedly.

"Leave him lie." Jack warned as he joined them, all of them backed up against the boat and the fish-men before them. "Unless you plan on using him to hit something with."

They were being surrounded and Blake made a wave motions with her hands for a wave to rise before them and then go tunnel off away from them, taking the fish men with it. Norrington, being the only one to not know who she really was, gapped at the action.

"We are literally sitting ducks."

"Then do something." Jack said.

"It's water against fish." Blake said obviously.

"She's right. We're not getting out of this." Elizabeth knew.

"Not with the chest." Norrington said as the fish began to cackle.

"You can't do more?" Jack demanded.

"Like what?" Blake returned. "This happens to only be half my area of expertise and do you really want me passing out again!" Jack leaned away from her.

Norrington then turned for the boat and grabbed the chest. "Into the boat."

"You're mad." Elizabeth said.

Blake however looked confused. Norrington, who wanted the heart, was running off with the chest, taking the crew members with him, how would that help him? Ignoring the fact that the chest was empty.

"Don't wait for me." Norrington said strongly to Elizabeth before he turned, held the chest over his head and ran off, the advancing fish men all sore the chest and hurried off after him. Norrington swung his sword around when they got too close.

"I say we respect his final wishes!" Jack said.

"Aye!" Pintel shouted and they all turned to the boat, returning the net, two ores, and all climbed in.

"Everyone hold on." Blake ordered as she turned and angled the boat. She jumped in and everyone suddenly grabbed the sides as it shot off across the water.

"I hope you realise that the _Dutchmen_ is around somewhere." Blake said as the _Pearl_ came into sight. "We need to get out of here, now."

"I need an audience with Jones first." Jack returned, clinging to the longboat.

"Now you're the mad one!" She snapped.

The longboat slowed down as they reached the _Pearl_ and ropes were dropped for Pintel and Ragetti to grab, the boat being angled alongside the black ship. Elizabeth, Jack and Blake all climbed out as the two pirates hoisted the longboat from the water into place and Will was then hoisted from the boat and onto the deck.

"Will he be alright?" Elizabeth asked Blake.

"He'll come around eventually." Blake promised. "Hopefully soon, we're not out of the woods yet." She had a frown on her face. As she said that Will's expression contorted.

"You're pulling too hard!" Pintel shouted as they tried to tie the boat into place.

"You ain't pulling hard enough!" Ragetti returned, while Marty stared at them, tying up the rope they were hoisting on.

Jack had his jar of dirt clutched to his chest as he moved across the deck and Blake moved off after him. Gibbs moved up to their side, walking with them. "Where's the commodore?"

"Fell behind."

"My prayers be with him." Gibbs mumbled, frowning. He then shrugged and smiled. "Best not wallow in our grief."

He followed Jack up to the helm where Cotton was steering the ship. Blake looked around over the waters, looking rather nervous.

"The bright side is, you're back, and made it off free and clear." Gibbs grinned.

As he finished his sentence there was a sudden explosion that made everyone jump and duck. Water went flying everywhere as suddenly the _Flying Dutchmen_ shot upwards, bow first, from the depths of the waters, sending droplets everywhere. It settled onto the water tops right along side the _Pearl_, their deck taller then the _Pearl_'s and their cannon portholes right at the _Pearl_'s eye level.

Blake gasped and suddenly fell to the deck, causing Jack to raise an eyebrow at her. Everyone on the _Pearl_ also gasped and stumbled backwards away from the edge closest to the ghost ship, green with algae, seaweed and many barnacles all over its hull. Ragetti and Pintel dropped the rope they'd been heaving on and one end of the longboat fell to the deck.

Water fell from the _Flying Dutchmen_'s green covered sails and from the portholes, pouring off of the deck and out of the portholes from the lower levels. Davy Jones, his hat on his head and his beard made of tentacles, walked to the edge of his ship by the helm.

"Lord high, deliver us." Gibbs made the sign of the cross over his chest as Jones' crew cackled at the _Pearl_'s inhabitants, they rattled chains and shouted toward them.

Jack didn't look concerned and he pushed Gibbs out of his way. "I'll handle this mate." He grinned at the ship as Gibbs was too stunned to do anything else. "Oi! Fish-face!" Jack rose the jar above his head. Jones turned to him, his grin disappearing with confusion as his crew also fell silent. "Loose something?" Jack asked grinning widely, walking along his deck. "Aye, congeanlyk—" Jack reached the edge of the deck and suddenly fell sideways to topple down the stairs to the main deck. The _Pearl_'s crew all gasped and winced as Jack cried out.

He hit the deck, and there was a pause before the jar of dirt was raised above the railing again. "I got it!" Jack's voice sounded and Jones looked at it surprised, and somewhat concerned, before Jack got to his feet. He grinned again. "Come to negotiate aye have you? You slimy git." Jack rose her jar again as he walked in front of all his crew, grinning superiorly. "Look what I got." The Crew were all looking at him like he was mad. "I got a jar of dirt, I got a jar of dirt, and guess what's inside it!" He rose it up above his head again.

Jones spun, his tentacle beard swinging, to face the crew members behind him. "Enough."

The portholes for the cannons, carved and shaped like faces, each one different, into the wood, slowly began to open.

Jack's grin dropped, looking confused as the holes opened, before the cannons were being pulled out and to point at the _Pearl_. Everyone else on the deck stumbled backwards some more.

Jack looked worried now. "Hard to starboard?" He muttered.

"Hard to starboard!" Elizabeth screamed and everyone began to move, running across the deck as Gibbs grabbed the wheel from Cotton and began to turn it quickly and fast, as far as it would go.

"Brace up the foreyard!" Will shouted.

Blake got back to her feet and turned to look back at the _Dutchmen _which quickly became behind them, turning not nearly as hard or as fast as the _Pearl_ could.

The _Pearl_ turned away from the _Dutchmen_ and Jones, as the back of the ship began to face him, turned to his crew members. "Hard to starboard!" The man at the helm shouted and began to turn one of the wheels, while the other behind did the same. "Send his beloved _Pearl_ back to the depths!" Jones ordered.

"Fire All!" The hammerhead ordered.

The cannons plastered at the _Pearl_, smoke shooting out with the cannons balls. Blake, hearing the shout, climbed up onto the railing and rose her hands, palms downwards, to slam them down. The water behind the Pearl seemed to explode and tonnes and tonnes of water went reaching for the sky, creating a wall. All of the cannons were thrown off course and avoided the Black ship from the force of the water. By the time the water settled, there was a measurable distance between he two ships, the _Dutchmen_ had turned completely and Blake climbed up to the top of the back of the black ship to face the _Dutchmen_. She could see Jones, looking angry and confused, a spyglass raised to his face, before he spotted her. She glared back as he lowered the spyglass.

"She's on us!" Pintel shouted as they noticed the _Dutchmen_ chasing them. "She's on us!"

The _Dutchmen_ as falling behind as Jones stared at his daughter who rose one arm and swung it forwards. A tunnel of water shot up and hit the side of the _Dutchmen_, sending wood everywhere and rocking the ghost ship.

Jones glared angrily at his daughter and turned to a crewman. "Let them taste the triple guns."

"Aye Captain."

Two faces, one other side at the front of the Dutchmen, opened up to reveal a cannon with three necks. Blake took a breath before the top of the three necks on each cannon fired. Each cannon was met with a stream of water which knocked it back to the ocean. The cannons turned to the left and then fired again.

"Get more speed in those sails Jack!" Blake shouted as she diverted the cannons. Jack glanced at Blake and her thwarting the _Dutchmen_'s attacks before he walked up the deck towards the helm and Gibbs. His jar of dirt still in one hand, he pushed Gibbs out of the way and grabbed a handle on the wheel. He turned it harshly to the port side and the _Pearl_ turned.

"Blake, more wind!" Jack shouted at her.

"Give me a break!" She snapped back, sending a cannon off course. She turned to the sails and they expanded more and the ship moved faster. The cannons were quickly beginning to fall short and Blake took a breath before she turned and jumped off the wood to land on the deck.

"Make fast!" Will ordered as they braced the sails.

Pintel leaned down to the side railing of the Pearl, kissed and patted it. "Do it, me darlin! Show us what you got!"

Elizabeth hung over the railing, watching the _Dutchmen_ as Blake joined her. The cannon balls were splashing into the water behind them, no longer able to reach even the back of the ship.

"She's falling behind." Elizabeth said.

"Aye, we've got her." Gibbs grinned.

"We're the faster?" Will asked surprised, joining them.

"Against the wind, the Dutchmen beats us, that's how she takes her prey, but with the wind," Gibbs explained as Elizabeth grinned.

"We rob her advantage." Will realised.

"Aye." Elizabeth and Gibbs left the railing while Will looked confused.

"That doesn't mean we're safe though." Blake said and Will looked at her. "When it comes to Jones, no open water is safe." She turned back to the _Dutchmen_ and watched as they gave up. The cannons stopped firing and the canvas was doused.

"They're given up!" Marty shouted, sitting on the rigging. The entire crew cheered and Pintel and Ragetti spun in a circle, their arms hooked together.

Blake however backed away from the railing and was looking at her feet. No, they weren't giving up.

Jack stood before the wheel, his Jar of dirt in his arms and smiled at his crew. Will came up beside him as Gibbs hugged Elizabeth.

"My father is on that ship. If we can outrun her, we can take her. We should turn and fight." Will said.

"Why fight, when you can negotiate." Jack said. He rose the jar and put it on the railing before him. "All one needs is the popper leverage." He tapped the top of the jar and Will looked at it suspiciously.

Blake's breath hitched in her throat. "Everyone look out!" She shrieked and everyone turned to her before there was a crash and the ship hit something. Everyone was thrown forwards, everyone to the deck. Jack almost went over the railing and his jar of dirt fell off and to the deck, smashing open and sending dirt everywhere.

Jack gasped, crying slightly and he hurried down the stairs to the pile of dirt. The crew began to get to their feet as Jack rummaged through the dirt, but there was no heart. Blake ignored him, not for the minute concerned about such and turned to the crew.

"It's the kraken!" Everyone turned to her and Will was the only one who didn't look scared, but serious.

"Too arms!" He shouted.

"Load the cannons! Defend the mask!" Gibbs shouted.

"It'll attack the starboard I've seen it before." Will informed as he pulled a sword from a barrel. "Run out the cannons and hold for my signal. Blake, can you stop it." Will turned to her.

"Usually." She nodded. "But it's not listening." Will and Elizabeth shared a look. Blake turned to look at the _Dutchmen_ in the distance. "It because he's too close." She knew. "He has more of a hold of it than I do, and his influence is stopping me from making it leave."

The two turned to the _Dutchmen_. "You can't do anything?" Elizabeth asked.

"How mad do you want to make it?" Blake asked.

They didn't answer.

Blake pursed her lips. She then shocked Will and Elizabeth by turning around, and running right for the railing only to jump straight off. Many crew members hurried to look after her as there was a splash. She disappeared into the water before rising back up and the water swirled around her feet, allowing her to stand on the surface. The entire crew watched in complete awe as she rose her hands and several spears of water rose up around the _Pearl_, all pointed downwards.

"GET OFF!" They shot into the water and the entire crew looked horrified as something cried out.

Everyone was silent as Blake waited before she suddenly jumped backwards and a long, yellow and green tentacle shot out and grabbed her leg. Everyone gasped as Blake was yanked down under the water's surface.

"Blake!" Elizabeth shouted.

There was thunder and everyone looked up as the sun was blocked out and thunderclouds rolled in. Lightning struck and lit up the sky before several bolt shot down for the water around the ship. There was another roaring scream before the water exploded and Blake came flying out. She hit the sail before falling for the deck. Several crew members ran forwards and they all fell in a heap as she hit them.

She coughed and groaned as she lay on the deck.

Gibbs, Will, Elizabeth, Cotton and Marty all shoved to the front as the men who'd tried to catch her began to sit up.

"Blake?" Elizabeth frowned.

"Damn thing." She whispered. "I can't get near its body." Elizabeth reached for Blake and pulled away when she was zapped. Blake shook her head and tried to sit herself up. Several people reached to catch her as she wobbled.

"Did you scare it off?" Will asked.

"No." Blake said looking angry. "I think I just stunned it." She looked at everyone around her. "But it's not going anywhere until it drags this ship down."

Everyone looked worried and Blake looked up to Will. "Load the guns." She said.

Will stood to his feet. "To stations!" He shouted. Everyone left Blake, who stayed on the deck, her legs feeling a bit fuzzy and her head stinging. Water and lightning didn't mix.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23:

The crew were running around the deck and below the cargo, grabbing guns, pistols, spears and preparing the cannons, opening the portholes on the starboard side and loading them up. As they did, Blake moved out of the middle of the deck. Her body ached and she had a sucker mark on her side which was throbbing. She could feel the deck shaking with all the running footsteps before something else scraped over it, wading and flailing through the water below.

The tentacles began to rise up the sides of the boat, curling and waving as the cannons were put into position. The cannons were being prepared to be fired when everyone stopped. The tentacles rose up over the cannon holes and turned the lower decks dark. The suckers felt over the wooden lids and the cannon necks as it rose towards the railings, dropping water and slime over the wood and metal.

Ragetti hit Pintel at the sight and the entire deck went silent. The wood creaked and those on deck rose their weapons in preparation as the tentacles cautiously rose up above the railing. Will stepped down the stairs to the cannon hold.

"Easy boys." He sad. Ragetti gasped and turned to Will, looking back at the nightmarish suckers. Everyone on deck backed away from the edges as the tentacles rose above them.

"Will?" Elizabeth asked as the tentacles flopped on deck, feeling around.

"Steady." Will warned. "Steady." The wood of the ship creaked as the Kraken put pressure on it.

"Will?" Elizabeth repeated.

"Hold." Will ignored his fiancé. "Hold."

"I think we've held fire long enough." Pintel said. Will didn't respond as the ship was cast in shadow from the continuously rising tentacles.

Elizabeth grabbed the rope to shout down at her partner. "Will!"

"Fire!" The canons were lit and they all jumped backwards from the force exerted to push the cannons out. The balls hit deep in the tentacles which were pushed back from the ship and burned at the creature's flesh. The tentacles fell and crashed onto the deck, smashing and destroying that which sat upon it. People ducked and dove and Blake shuffled herself backwards out of the way. People were hit by the appendages as they slithered over the deck and the Kraken retreated. It rose up the Portside and the cannons fired there as well, hitting the tentacles true. A cry sounded and Blake covered her ears at the pain that came from the creature.

The tentacles were pulled down and back into the water. It curled in on itself from the pain and Will came running up the stairs as everyone hurried to the railing to see what happened.

Everyone cheered as Blake watched them all.

"It'll be back." Will believed, turning to Elizabeth. "We have to get off the ship." Elizabeth turned to him, only to look behind him and see what the tentacles had broken.

"There's no boats." The long boats were broken into pieces.

Blake got to her feet, stumbling slightly and looked around. She could still feel it, and she could feel its anger.

Will however spotted a barrel rolling along the deck and an idea began to form. He stepped across the deck and Elizabeth followed him confused.

"Blake, can we stop it?"

"Not unless you get to its body." She said, taking a breath. "Attacking is tentacles is like attacking your fingers, it'll hurt but it's not going to stop you in the long run."

"But if its got no fingers…" Will thought.

"It's only got its mouth, and that usually doesn't leave the water." Blake admitted.

Will nodded before turning to the crewmen. "Pull the crates! Get all the gunpowder onto a net in the cargo hold!" The men began to run instantly. Will moved to a man with guns in both hands, and took one. He turned to Elizabeth and held it out to her. "What ever you do, don't miss."

She nodded, determined, taking it. "As soon as you're clear."

Barrels were rolled across the deck and towards the crates, as people grabbed long poles with hooks to pull the crates aside. The crates below deck in the cannon hold were opened and a hole down to the cargo hold was created. A net was strung up on the floor below the holes and barrels of gunpowder were being thrown down and into the net.

Gibbs stood in the cannon hold before a crew member turned to him from the cargo hold below. "We are short stocked on gunpowder. Six barrels."

Gibbs turned unsurely and headed for the deck as Will came down. "There's only half a dozen kegs of powder."

"Then load the rum." Will said without hesitation.

The pirates all stopped and turned to Gibbs who's expression was shocked. He looked around at his crew mates before someone dropped down from the deck and onto the rail between the crate holes.

"Load the rum you stupid ingrates!" Blake shouted, her eyes dark and her body working again. "Would you all rather die!"

Gibbs took a breath. "Aye the rum too!" And he shook his head devastated before continuing up the steps.

The pirates, though not liking the idea, all kicked into gear instantly. Complaints sounded as the pirates did as they were told, Blake over looking them all and making sure they didn't skive on anything. When she was sure she jumped back out of the hold and onto the deck.

"Blake!" She turned as Elizabeth came up to her and took her arm. "Look." Elizabeth led her to the railing and Blake turned from her to the open ocean. She paused, in the distance there was an island, its mountains poking out over the open water, but before that, there was a boat. A single black longboat with a single occupant in a red bandanna.

Blake slammed her palm into her forehead. "You've got to be kidding me."

"The coward." Elizabeth accused.

"We can deal with him later." Blake turned for the crates only for the entire ship to shake and send everyone off their feet, except Blake.

Marty looked up worried as he stood on the wheel to reel up the net of gunpowder. "Not good."

"Everyone away from the cannons!" Blake shouted down the crate holes and everyone launched themselves away from the weapons just as several tentacles shot up from the water and straight into the cannon portholes. The sides of the ship were broken and the holes made bigger by the wide round tentacles and everyone went running. Ragetti and Pintel jumped for the walls of the ship and stood on either side of one of the holes as a tentacle launched in, knocking a cannon out of its way.

The tentacles shook, withered and flayed madly around the cannon hold, knocking out pillars, shoving the cannons around the deck and latching onto people, pulling the tentacle back out of the hole, a victim wrapped in its clutches.

Blake grit her teeth and got to her feet before she took a few steps back and then ran to jump through the crate holes. She landed with a crouch on the ground and a grunt for a wind to blast harshly through the hold and the tentacles were bashed, bent, sliced and broken by the force, some stabbed with broken wood, some even thrown out of the holes. Blake then ran for the other crate holes, jumping towards the cargo hold and jumped head first. She formed a fist and punched the floor for a shock to wave out of her, downwards and blast the kraken off the bottom of the ship.

She then turned to Will who was latched onto the net, that was connected to ropes looped over a hook and connected to the wheel where Marty and Cotton where.

"Go!" She shouted.

He turned to the deck above. "Haul away!"

Gibbs heard the shout and turned to those at the crank. "Heave! Heave like you're being paid for it." The men pushed against the poles and the wheel and a giant hook with the corners of the net holding the explosives began to rise up from the cannon hold. Marty stood on the top encouraging the workers, too short to push on one himself, while Will jumped onto the net, being pulled up with the explosive filled barrels.

Blake made her way back up and stood on the deck, feeling below and felt as the Kraken was coming back. She now slammed her foot down and the Kraken was pushed downwards again, but it fought her and brought the tentacles back. It shot them out of the water as fast as it could and it attacked the top deck and the cannon hold. It reached down into the cargo hold and men ran everywhere to avoid the slimy appendages. The net, being brought past the cannon hold swung as the tentacles nudged it, sliding and shooting past. The steps were broken by a raging tentacle as they grabbed running victims, breaking some of the bones in the bodies as it forced them out of the too small portholes.

Gibbs latched onto the arms of a man being pulled by one of the tentacles, trying to stop him from being yanked into the water and eaten.

"I gotcha!"

"Don't let go!"

"I won't let—" the Kraken was too strong and the man was pulled from Gibbs' grasp.

"Save me!" Blake ran along the deck, jumped, drew her sword and swung to cut the appendage, and free the man who fell back to the deck. Elizabeth turned from him to Will, who was being risen up towards the sails now. She had finished loading the shot gun in her hands as guns and screams filled the air, sea water was being sprayed over them all from the water covered tentacles that flung through the air angrily. Elizabeth ran towards Will on the net.

"Here?" She asked, shouting over the commotion.

"Higher!" Will returned.

"The reel!" Blake shouted. Elizabeth turned as a tentacle came over the railing, around the mast and those hoisting Will into the air all looked scared as the tentacles wrapped around the mast above them.

"Marty jump!" Blake shouted. He did so as the tentacle came down, those turning the crank all jumping out of the way, to snap the leavers from the reel. Will jolted as the net began to fall while Blake ran to the railing, grabbed the rigging, swung across and grabbed the rope connected to the net of explosives. She yanked as she dropped back towards the deck and she rounded one of the masts, pulling on the rope to raise the net and explosives higher. Will's arms were yanked on as the net came to a stop from the girl pulling on the rope.

Blake looked towards the trap, seeing it was fine as Will was still clutched to the side. The crewmen around her however were being hoisted and lifted from the deck and dragged into the water one by one and the people on the ship were dwindling, their cries and screams being the last heard of them before they vanished into the waters.

"Here!" Will shouted as his net shook. "Come on! Come and get me, I'm over here!" Will looked around as people fired at the tentacles raging through the air. "Come on."

Blake jumped as a tentacle slammed onto the deck, breaking the railing and a cannon before sliding across, throwing another cannon into the air and flicking at the hook holding the net. Blake's feet slipped across the deck and the rope pulled through her hands, making her hiss from the rope burn. Will was thrown around with the net which was wrapped around the tentacle. The Blacksmith's foot sank into the net, pinned by the many barrels.

"Will!" Blake shouted. She was being yanked and her feet continued to slip and slide as the net was knocked, swung and pushed.

Will lost his grip and his sword went flying from his hand as he fell down and was hanging by his trapped ankle. He reached to his waist and pulled out the dagger his father had given him to begin soaring at the ropes to free his foot.

Pintel and Ragetti were running across the deck, Ragetti with a hatchet in his hands as they ran for the captain's cabin. Two men were yanked away from behind them and submerged within the angry waters. Elizabeth was backing up with the shotgun in her hand, pointing it at the swinging net, with Will still attached.

Blake continued to try and yank on the rope to keep it in the air, but was barely managing to keep her feet on the deck. She spotted Elizabeth aiming for the net, but Will was still stuck.

"Shoot!" Will shouted, still hacking at the ropes. "Elizabeth, shoot!"

From through the windows of the captain's cabin at the back of the ship more tentacles were sliming their way in and Blake saw them coming for Elizabeth from behind. She grit her teeth and looked around before noticing a sword on the ground. She moved, kicked it upwards, grabbed it with one hand and stabbed it through the rope and into the wood of the deck, holding the rope and net in place before she darted across the deck towards Elizabeth. The tentacles went sliding before they latched to Elizabeth's leg and pulled her off her feet and to the deck. Blake jumped and with a wave of her hand an arc of water jumped from the sea and sliced the tentacle off from the back of the ship. At the same time, Pintel and Ragetti who where hiding in the cabin sliced off the end near Elizabeth's ankle. The tentacles pulled back out in its pain and Elizabeth and Blake turned back to look at Will. Blake realised Elizabeth had dropped the shotgun and turned to see it on the deck. Elizabeth did too, but another sailor picked it up. No sooner had he done so, before a tentacle wrapped around his waist and he was yanked into the air. He cried out as he was flayed about and he dropped the gun onto the deck above them with the helm. Both girls shared a look before they hurried after it, while the poor pirate was pulled underwater.

The entire boat shook and Elizabeth was thrown to the side as she climbed the steps and grabbed the gun. At the same time a foot stood on top of it. Blake looked surprised as Elizabeth tried to push the foot off before looking up at its owner.

Jack was standing on the helm, now wearing his long leather coat. No longer rowing across open water and out of danger, but here on his ship, facing the beast he'd been running from for so many months. Elizabeth and Blake grinned at him before he leaned down and picked up the shotgun. Elizabeth crawled up the steps and clung onto his leg as Jack took aim.

Will was still cutting at the ropes and attached to the net and Blake, knowing Jack wouldn't miss, ran across the deck and jumped. She grabbed the bottom of the net and began to climb her way up to Will.

"Will you get off already!" She snapped. He turned and smirked at her as she grabbed the rope he's been hacking at and pulled. It snapped right open and Blake grabbed Will, yanking on him as she jumped. They fell to the deck, Blake landing on her feet, but the hole they'd made was big enough for the barrels and they began to tumble from the net. Intrigued, the kraken reached for the falling pieces with its tentacles as Jack closed one eye and pulled the trigger. The musket went soaring through the air, missed the curling tentacles and imbedded itself in one of the barrels.

The thing exploded and the fire from one cascaded in a domino effect to ignite the others. Gunpowder and rum exploded in a cloud of fire. Fire and flesh flew everywhere as the tentacles were cut to the bone, smoking and singeing. There was a groan from below as the tentacles flopped and sagged, broken and flaming. They were pulled away from the deck and towards the railing. Blake stood up straight as Will stabbed his dagger into the deck, turning to look as the kraken retreated.

Gibbs got up from where he was crouched by the railing, turning to look over it at the water as it fell silent. Marty was hiding below a net and a broken boat part, poking his head up before getting to his feet. Cotton and his parrot rose from the deck below on a still intact set of stairs. The deck was smoking, covered in bodies, broken wood, fires and pieces of kraken.

Marty joined Gibbs at the railing as they peered over.

"Did we kill it?" The smaller man asked.

"No, we just made it angry." Gibbs knew. "We're not out of this yet. Cap'n orders!" He turned for Jack as he and Elizabeth came down the stairs. Pintel and Ragetti came out of the captain's cabin as Cotton and Marty followed Gibbs. Jack gave the shotgun to Gibbs as he turned to him.

"Abandon ship, into the longboat." Jack ordered.

Gibbs looked at the shotgun and then to the ship around him. He turned after his captain. "Jack." The man stopped as everyone else carried out his orders. "_The Pearl_." Gibbs stated.

Jack had a frown on his face and didn't look at his First Mate. "She's only a ship mate." He muttered.

"He's right, we have to head for land." Elizabeth said, panting slightly.

"It's a lot of open water." Pintel said, looking at the closest land in the distance.

"It's a lot of water." Ragetti agreed, standing beside his friend.

"We have to try." Will breathed. "We can get away as it takes down the _Pearl_."

Gibbs started nodding, looking serious. "Abandon ship." He agreed. "Abandon ship or abandon hope."

Blake wasn't standing with the group and Jack noticed. She was staring at the open water, away from the island, a large chunk of the kraken at her feet. She was looking at the medallion around her neck, a gift, the only one, from both of her parents.

"Come on Blake." Jack said. Gibbs, Pintel, Ragetti, Marty and Cotton prepared the longboat.

"No." Blake said. Everyone stopped and turned to her. "I'm staying."


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24:

They all looked shocked, staring at the half goddess at her revelation. Why would she stay with that monster lurking? The ship was going down, regardless, she wanted to go down with it?

"Blake?" Elizabeth shook her head, confused and sad by Blake's sudden decision.

Blake glanced at them all before she moved across the deck and up the helm, not saying a word. She moved to the railing to climb up and looked back to the tiny spot that was the_ Dutchmen_ in the distance.

Will and Elizabeth shared a look as Jack looked confused. With a glance at them, the others continued their preparation. The couple moved to Blake.

"What are you doing?" Will demanded of her.

Blake glanced downwards before turning to the ship. "There are a total of nine of us on this ship. From how many?" She stepped down onto the deck. "Look around." The two did so. "This was all done, by my father."

Elizabeth frowned while Will's forehead furrowed.

"I helped Jack, and all of you, find the heart. I helped dig it up, I set us on this path. All of this, is on me."

"So you're going to sacrifice yourself?" Elizabeth demanded.

"No." Blake said and the two looked confused some more. "When you're taken by the kraken, you're taken to the Locker. It's the place between life and death. I don't count it as death, or as dying." She said.

"Then why are you going?" Will snapped.

"To teach him a lesson!" She pointed out to where the _Dutchmen_ was. "He cannot do this!" She pointed to the deck. "He wants Jack, to serve or die, because he did a good thing for the pirate. He thinks he can just do what ever he wants, hurt all these people and get away for it because he was outsmarted! No!" Blake's expression was furious and the two were surprised by it. "It's time someone said enough! He wants to throw a tantrum like this, then he better be prepared to pay for it."

Elizabeth's eyes were filled with tears now and she shook her head, angry, looking at her friend before she turned and walked down the stairs away. The two watched her before Will turned to Blake.

"This decision makes no sense."

"You think a father, even one like Jones, wouldn't regret it if he killed or trapped his daughter in the place between worlds? He's always tried to trap me, not kill me. That's why I've been able to fend off the beast till now." Blake confessed. "I want him to realise that his tantrums are not going to fly with me!"

Will pursed his lips.

"You're not changing my mind Will. And you're not staying here either." Blake said. "I'm staying on this ship. A captain always goes down with a ship."

Will turned to look back at the _Dutchmen_.

"Just make sure you look after Lizzie. And finally tie that knot." Blake said. Will didn't take her words for funny, he gave her a disappointed look before he began to back away from her. Blake watched him descend the steps and return to the others. The longboats now in the water and Jack was saying the last goodbyes to his ship as Pintel, Ragetti, Marty and Cotton all were climbing into the boat. Gibbs was passing things down to them as Will joined them.

Blake turned back to look at the _Dutchmen_, climbing onto the railing, making sure she could be seen.

"Prepare to cast off! There's no time to lose!" Gibbs voice made Blake turn and step off the railing. Will was passing things down to those on the boat and Gibbs was now climbing down into the long boat as well. Will was hanging on the side of the ship, not moving and blocking the way as Gibbs tried to come down after him. "Come on Will, step too!"

The two climbed down and Blake looked at the longboat on the side of the _Black Pearl_. Everyone was there, apart from Elizabeth and Jack. No surprise, Jack loved this ship, he'd be on it as long as he could be.

Blake turned and walked towards the wheel, running her hand over it. She'd had fun on this ship. If it was going with her to the locker, could she use it to return? People had done it before, her father did it all the time. His blood ran in her bones after all.

Footsteps sounded and Blake moved to the railing to see Elizabeth move to climb into the boat as well. The girl turned to Blake, but the half-goddess wasn't affected by the expression the former aristocrat gave her. She just raised her hand and waved, before Elizabeth disappeared over the side of the boat.

Blake walked back to the railing and looked down. The longboat was pushed away from the Pearl and Pintel and Ragetti began to row, leaving the _Pearl_ behind.

Blake's forehead furrowed as she noticed the red bandanna was missing. Where was Jack? There was a jingling noise and Blake turned around. Jack was standing by the mast, pulling on his arm. She gapped at him and moved down the steps.

"What the hell are you doing?" She demanded, shocked.

Jack grinned at her before he rose his arm, only he couldn't because he was shackled to the mast by a set of iron cuffs.

Blake rose an eyebrow. "Is this your way of going down with your ship? You're such a coward that you had to handcuff yourself to it?"

"Dearie, do you really think I'd do this to myself?" Jack yanked and jingled the cuffs, as if trying to break the chain.

"On purpose or by accident?" She asked, an eyebrow raised.

Jack grinned at her annoyed. "You going to help?"

"What happened?"

"Miss Swann decided to punish me."

Blake was silent for a minute. "Elizabeth handcuffed you to the mast?"

"And she kissed me." Jack looked amused at this. "Thinks they can only escape if I am taken by the Beastie."

Blake turned to look back across the water, back to where the longboat was getting further and further away, while Jack put his foot on the mast and pulled on his arm and the cuffs.

"Jack." Blake said turning back to him, making him pause in his efforts. She had a frown on her face. "You realise even if I do get you out of those cuffs, there's no way you could escape."

Jack stayed still as Blake reached for the cuffed hand, running her thumb over the cloth that covered his palm, and by extension, the black spot. "It's after this, remember."

Jack was still.

"You can't get me out?"

There was a creak and the two stopped, Jack looking worried as the ship tipped. Cannon balls went rolling over the deck and the left over barrels did the same.

Blake looked around as the wind increased before she shook her head. "It's already here Jack."

Jack glanced around before Blake moved and grabbed the chain of the cuff holding Jack to the mast. She grasped it in both hands before she yanked.

The chain snapped and Jack stumbled backwards, Blake grabbing his arm to keep him from hitting the deck.

Jack grinned as he looked at his two hands while Blake's expression turned serious.

Tentacles were rising up the side of the ship. Many and many, rising upwards and flailing about, getting thicker and thicker before something more solid rose along the side of the ship.

Jack paused, his grin doing the same before it began to dampen. The body of the kraken was latched onto the side of the ship and the base of the tentacles rose before so did the mouth. It had a row of teeth that were like the stings of scorpions, which opened to reveal another, closed inwards as Jack's expression became worried and he glanced over his shoulder. His eyes widened as he turned around to face the mouth.

Blake took a step sideways behind Jack before the mouth opened and the creature roared at them. Rows and rows of teeth were shown, moving in a circular motion and turning from pointing inwards to pointing outwards. The smell of rotting corpses washed over them with its breath and slime, mucus and saliva came flying out of its mouth at the roar. Jack was covered in the saliva, his face receiving a splat-full of it while Blake was curled up slightly behind him to avoid it.

Jack just stood there, taking the slaps to the face with his eyes closed and his arms raised before something fell to his feet.

Blake looked down and noticed it was Jack's hat, covered in just as much mucus as its owner. The roar stopped and Blake peaked out from behind the Pirate Captain. She moved to his side and grimaced at the look of him. "Ugh." She groaned, disgusted.

Jack shook from the experience, shivering. He blinked slightly before reaching up to drag slime from his eyes and shook it to the floor. "Not so bad." He muttered.

Blake rose a disagreeable eyebrow, but the pirate captain had noticed the hat at his feet and he looked surprised.

"Oh!" He picked it up and flicked it to remove the slime before putting it on his head.

Blake turned to look around them as the tentacles had rose up behind them and were covering the deck. The kraken had wrapped itself all around the ship, preparing to drag it downwards.

Jack turned to look at the mouth of the beast and smirked. "Hello beastie." He drew his sword and turned to Blake, holding out his other hand to her.

"You know that sword will do nothing." She sighed.

He shrugged.

Blake rolled her eyes but took his hand. "For dramatic effect then." She decided.

They both turned to the mouth of the beast as the ship was being tipped towards it, being pulled over and the beast took a breath in before breathing out and the teeth all angling towards the two. They moved towards it, stepping up onto the railing with the sword raised and the beast began to lean over them.

Blake waved her arm for a heap of water to begin to wash up onto the deck and surround them. She held Jack's hand tighter as he watched it with interest and confusion, before the water swirled faster and faster around them, lifted them from the deck. It blocked the smell and roar, the breaking of the Pearl and the crashing of the waves, and everyone was silent for a moment.

Jack sheathed his sword as Blake closed her eyes. She put her other hand on his arm as the teeth completely surrounded them.

Sitting in the longboat, Marty, Cotton, Pintel, Ragetti, Gibbs, Will and Elizabeth watched as the kraken had completely latched itself onto the side of the _Black Pearl_ and it creaked as it began to tip sideways. The tentacles were curling and wrapping around the masts and the sails as the weight of the kraken began to pull the ship down, the bow already below the churning waters surface.

The ship fell sidewards, creaking under the pressure of the beast before the ship vanished below the water, and the masts followed, the kraken dragging it downwards with a final wave of its tentacle. The churning water bubbled with the last vestiges before it was left still.

Davy Jones looked at the disappearing ship through his spyglass, a look of shock and horror on his face as he lowered it. His crew was silent and they were watching their captain with apprehension. He'd just had his own daughter swallowed and taken to the Locker by his monster.

Jones was still for a moment.

"Jack Sparrow… Our debt is settled." He muttered.

"Captan goes down with his ship."

"Turns out not even Jack Sparrow can best the devil."

Jones was still, collapsing the telescope as everyone watched him.

He looked downwards at the floor before turning to his crew mates. "Open the chest."

No one moved, only glancing at one another, somewhat surprised.

"Open the chest, I need to see it!" Jones shouted at his hammerhead crewmen, getting in his face, demanding.

The crew mate turned and many followed him as Davy turned back to the now calm waters, where the _Black Pearl _had vanished from.

The chest was set on a table and the key in it was turned before the crew all stepped back. Davy Jones pushed his way in, shoving his cremates aside to sit before the chest. He grabbed the corners carefully before opening the lid.

Jones looked up, shaking in horror as the crew mates bent forwards and began to mutter to themselves in shock, gasping.

Jones' tentacles began to writher and wriggle, curling and flicking in the man's anger. "Damn you… Jack Sparrow!" Davy Jones shouted over the empty chest.


	25. Epilogue

Epiloge

The sun was baking, shining down from the sky upon mounds and what seemed to be an endless supply of pale yellow sand. There was no wind, no clouds, no water, no greenery. But there was a sound beyond, the only thing that penetrated the silence.

Her forehead furrowed, her eyebrows twitching as the sun beat down on her skin. She lay on the sand, feeling it move beneath her, but she felt as though there was nothing.

The brilliant blue eyes opened.

She stared at the brilliant sky, lit up by the stunning sun. She stayed there, lying on the sand, staring at the sky. None of this felt wrong, and yet, everything was. Her brain was trying to process, but she couldn't work out what it was she was thinking about. Why was she cautious? Was there trouble?

She was still for another minute, before she had the sudden need to sit up, and so she did. Her hair, brown at the roots before fading into a pale blonde, fell around her shoulders, wavy, long, to her waist.

She wore a white shirt, with a black vest over the top, hugging her chest and waist and showing her brilliant curves. Her legs were clad in tight black pants. She looked herself over. Her hands, one held leather thonging on the wrist, the other was wrapped in fabric. She had rings over her fingers and bangles over one wrist. One of the rings was a shocking blue, like her eyes, gleaming up at her in the sun.

Something was strapped to her thigh, a holster, holding a pistol. And at her side, laying in the sand, were two swords, sitting in sheaths and strapped to her waist. Her feet were clad in brown boots to her knees.

That was normal… wasn't it?

The air was suddenly broken by wind. It swirled around her and she was lifted from the sand, only a few grains being caught in the unnatural occurrence as she was neatly placed on her feet. She ignored the action as she looked around. There was nothing but sand? Then why did it feel like she was looking for something?

She began to walk, looking across the landscape. It seemed nothing was here, but she had the desire to look. There was something worth finding in this empty desert, and for what ever reason, she was determined to find it.

* * *

**This will be the start of the third book when I eventually get around to it. **

**Please, if there are things you'd like Blake to do, or see, or things you'd like to read about Blake, leave me a review and let me know, it'll really help me with a timeline and clearing up any confusions that you think need addressing. **

**I hope you enjoyed the Dark Streak and I promise to eventually put up the next one. **

**Thank you for reading. **


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